The word “hussy” comes from the Middle English word huswif, which is a combination of the words hus (house) and wif (wife or woman). The earliest known use of the word “hussy” was in 1470.
The word “hussy” became an insulting term to describe a woman who behaved in a way that went against traditional ideas of respectability. It was often used to describe a sexually bold woman, especially if she was seen as “stealing” another woman's partner.
The word “housewife” and its variations developed both positive and negative meanings, which led to differences in pronunciation and spelling. When used in a negative way, English speakers would often pronounce the first syllable as “HUSS”. To differentiate between the positive and negative meanings, speakers who used the word positively began pronouncing the first syllable as “HOWSE”.
By the 19th century, the modern pronunciation of “housewife” became the norm, and the derogatory meanings of “hussy” became extinct.
