Turd

Pronunciation

• GenAm enPR: tûrd, IPA: /tɝd/
• RP IPA: /tɜːd/
• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)d

Origin

From Middle English toord, tord, from Old English

|lang=ang}, from Proto-Germanic *turdą ("mud, manure"), from Proto-Indo-European *der- ("to split, flay"). Cognate with Middle Dutch tord ("lump of excrement"), Old High German zort ("dung, excrement"), Old Norse torð- ("dung-", in compounds.), Old English tyrdel ("dropping, small piece of excrement"). More at tear, treddle.

Full definition of turd

Noun

1. (mildly vulgar) A piece of solid animal or human feces.I went to the toilet to drop a turd.
2. A pejorative term, typically directed at a person.

Usage notes

Whether it should be considered an especially vulgar insult is subject to judgment, but certainly it would have a broader acceptability than many vulgarities in common use today.