bitch

bitch — noun

1. an adult dog of the female sex; sometimes also used for the female of related an

1.noun
Definition

an adult dog of the female sex; sometimes also used for the female of related animals such as wolves and foxes.

Example

Our neighbour's bitch had six healthy puppies last Tuesday morning.

noun referring to a female dog with offspring

The farmer keeps two working bitches to herd the sheep across the hills.

plural form 'bitches' for working dogs

Common collocations
  • pregnant bitch
  • breeding bitch
  • prize bitch
  • the bitch and her puppies
Synonyms
  • female dog

    the safe, neutral everyday term

  • dam

    specifically a mother dog with puppies, used by breeders

Antonyms
  • dog

    informal contrast: a male dog, sometimes called a 'stud' in breeding

  • stud

    a male dog kept for breeding

Usage Note

Almost always used in breeding, hunting, or zoology contexts. In everyday talk people prefer 'female dog' to avoid sounding like the offensive sense (noun/2).

Common Mistakes

I saw a cute bitch in the park.
I saw a cute female dog in the park.
outside breeding contexts, listeners assume the offensive sense and may be shocked.

2. a strong insult aimed at a woman the speaker thinks is cruel, mean, or behaves b

2.noun
Definition

a strong insult aimed at a woman the speaker thinks is cruel, mean, or behaves badly. Highly offensive and often used in anger or in arguments.

Example

Nadia called her former boss a bitch after being fired without warning.

common pattern: 'call someone a bitch'

Don't be such a bitch — Nia was only trying to help you with the report.

vocative scolding: 'don't be such a bitch'

Common collocations
  • a real bitch
  • stupid bitch
  • such a bitch
  • call someone a bitch
Synonyms
  • cow

    British slang, also offensive but slightly milder

  • shrew

    old-fashioned, literary insult for a sharp-tongued woman

Usage Note

Very offensive, sexist, and considered hate speech in many workplaces. Distinguish from sense 5: this insult judges character; sense 5 describes a power relationship. Some women now reclaim the word among friends as playful, but learners should avoid using it.

Common Mistakes

My new manager is a bitch about deadlines.
My new manager is very strict about deadlines.
using this word at work can lead to harassment complaints or dismissal.

3. an informal way of describing a task, situation, or experience that is really ha

3.noun
Definition

an informal way of describing a task, situation, or experience that is really hard, painful, or annoying to deal with.

Example

Carrying that heavy sofa up four flights of stairs was a real bitch.

predicate noun: 'was a real bitch'

Priya said the chemistry final exam was a bitch to study for.

pattern: 'a bitch to + infinitive'

Common collocations
  • a real bitch
  • a bitch of a job
  • life's a bitch
  • a bitch to do/finish
Synonyms
  • nightmare

    less vulgar, widely acceptable in informal speech

  • pain

    as in 'a pain', much milder and broadly acceptable

Antonyms
  • breeze

    informal: something very easy

  • cinch

    informal: a task done with no difficulty

Grammar Patterns

a bitch (of a/to do)

Usage Note

Casual speech only — avoid in writing, school, or professional settings. Often appears in fixed phrases like 'life's a bitch' or 'a bitch of a [job/day/exam]'. Mild on the offensive scale compared with sense 2, but still vulgar.

Common Mistakes

The presentation to the CEO was a bitch.
The presentation to the CEO was really tough.
this slang sounds rude in formal or work talk.

4. a moment of grumbling — saying out loud all the things that bother you, often wi

4.noun
Definition

a moment of grumbling — saying out loud all the things that bother you, often with a friend who listens and sympathises.

Example

Nia and Otto met for coffee and had a long bitch about their boss.

pattern: 'have a bitch about + person/thing'

After a hard week, Priya needed a good bitch with her old college friends.

common phrase: 'a good bitch'

Common collocations
  • have a bitch
  • a good bitch
  • a long bitch
  • a bitch about the boss
Synonyms
  • moan

    British informal, similar feel and structure: 'have a moan'

  • whinge

    British/Australian informal, slightly more childish complaining

Grammar Patterns

have a bitch (about something)

Usage Note

Always with 'have a' or 'a good'. Frames complaining as social bonding rather than serious anger. More common in British and Australian English than American.

Common Mistakes

I bitch the new policy.
I had a bitch about the new policy.
as a noun this sense needs 'have a' before it.

5. a deeply offensive label for a person who is forced or willing to obey another p

5.noun
Definition

a deeply offensive label for a person who is forced or willing to obey another person in everything, with no power of their own. Often heard in prison slang and in films.

Example

In the prison drama, the new inmate was warned not to become anyone's bitch.

fixed phrase: 'someone's bitch'

Priya refused to be the team captain's bitch and fetch her coffee every morning.

metaphor for total subordination

Common collocations
  • someone's bitch
  • be nobody's bitch
  • make someone your bitch
  • prison bitch
Synonyms
  • lackey

    less vulgar, suggests a servile follower

  • minion

    playful or mildly negative, far less offensive

Antonyms
  • boss

    the one giving orders rather than taking them

Grammar Patterns

someone's bitch

Usage Note

Distinguish from sense 2: that one judges a woman's character; this one is about being controlled by someone, regardless of gender. Common in films and rap lyrics, but extremely insulting in real conversation. Frequently appears in the structure 'X's bitch'.

Common Mistakes

My little brother is my bitch — he does my chores.
My little brother does whatever I tell him.
using this casually about family or friends is deeply insulting in many cultures.

bitch — verb

Word family

  • bitchy
    adjective
  • bitchiness
    noun
  • bitching
    noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs cover the act of voicing dissatisfaction, but the register and tone differ sharply. 'Complain' is the safe, neutral choice for any setting, including formal letters or service desks. 'Grumble' suggests a low, half-hearted muttering, often to nobody in particular. 'Moan' (British informal) and 'whine' add an emotional colour: 'moan' implies social grumbling among friends, while 'whine' suggests a self-pitying, drawn-out tone that listeners find annoying. 'Bitch' is the most vulgar of the five and is best kept for casual talk among close friends — at work or school it can sound aggressive or sexist. For example, you might 'complain to the manager' about cold soup, then later 'bitch about the manager' to your colleagues over drinks.

bitch ↗moancomplain ↗whinegrumble ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • a real bitch
  • a bitch of a job
  • son of a bitch

Adverbs

Phrases

  • life's a bitch
  • stop bitching
  • have a good bitch
  • nobody's bitch

Prepositions

  • bitch about
  • bitch at
  • bitch to (a friend)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

The word comes from Old English 'bicce', meaning a female dog, with related forms in Old Norse ('bikkja') and other early Germanic languages. By the late 1300s English speakers were already using it as an insult against women, comparing them to dogs in heat, and the slur sense has been recorded ever since. The 'difficult thing' and 'complain' senses appeared much later, mainly in 20th-century American slang. The verb meaning 'to grumble' grew naturally from the noun sense for a complaining session.