Motherfucker
| vulgarism | |
Freedom of speech sign that uses the term held by a demonstrator at a protest in San Francisco, California | |
| Part of speech | Compound noun |
|---|---|
| Etymology | Compound of the terms mother and fucker |
| Pronunciation | US: /ˈmʌðərfʌkər/ UK: /ˈmʌðəˌfʌkə/ |
| Definition | |
| In a literal sense | A person who has incest with his mother |
| Figuratively | A person who is mean, despicable or vicious Any particularly difficult or frustrating situation |
Motherfucker (US: /ˈmʌðərfʌkər/; UK: /ˈmʌðəˌfʌkə/), sometimes abbreviated as mofo, mf, or mf'er, is an English-language vulgarism. It is a form of the profanity fuck. In common usage, it is rarely used to refer to one person having intercourse with a woman who is a mother. Rather, the word usually refers to a mean, despicable, or vicious person; or any particularly difficult or frustrating situation. Conversely, it can be used positively, as a term of admiration, as in the term badass motherfucker (BAMF), meaning a fearless and confident person.