Definition: A term of endearment – usually a term used by a man to refer to a woman to whom he is attracted.
Pronunciation: Say it like you see it. Pigs-nee
Origin
Pigsney dates to the 14th century. It literally means ‘Pigs Eye’. Apparently, that’s what one called a girl back then to set her heart aflutter.
The earliest record of pigsney – or a variant – appearing in literature was in Chaucer’s ‘The Miller’s Tale’, when a particular woman was referred to as “She was a prymerole, a piggesney, For any lord to leggen in his bedde”. That Chaucer sure had a way with the ladies… (Note to self: find out what a ‘prymerole’ is …)
Why This Word?
Usually, a term of endearment is based upon something cute or desirable – and something with a playful name. For example, I regularly call my wife ‘buttercup pixie’ or ‘daffodil springtime sugar pie’.
Actually … No – I don’t …
But my point is still valid. Nice things make nice pet names. So where the idea to base a pet name on a stinky farm animal comes from is unclear to me. Then again, in the 14th century, the English economy was pretty much pork-based. Thus, calling your beloved pigsney is probably the same today as calling her maybe ‘dollarhead’ … actually – that doesn’t work either …
How to use the word pigsney in a sentence?
This is a difficult one. Terms of endearment are not supposed to be controversial. Then again, swine aside, it does sort of sound like a cute word. Pigsney is for the brave lover, methinks. If you misjudge it, however, you could well be sacrificing the Pigs Eye for the ol’ stink eye …
