What does shit mean?
Shit is a highly informal, usually vulgar English word with several connected uses. As a noun, its basic meaning is feces or excrement, but it can also denote a worthless object, a contemptible person, or talk that is deceptive or nonsensical. As a verb, it can describe defecating, performing badly, or betraying or disappointing someone. As an interjection, it expresses strong surprise, frustration, or shock. The word’s force depends heavily on context: friends may use it jokingly or for emphasis, while in more formal or sensitive settings it can be seriously offensive. Although often treated as a modern obscenity, it descends from an ancient and once entirely ordinary vocabulary of bodily waste. Its bluntness makes it useful for expressing contempt, exasperation, and informal humor, but less suitable for polite or professional communication.
Feces or excrement; something or someone contemptible or worthless; deceitful or nonsensical talk.
"The cat tried to bury its shit in the garden."
Vulgar and informal. The contemptible and deceitful senses are idiomatic rather than literal.
To defecate; to perform badly; or, in the construction “shit on,” to betray or disappoint.
"He shit on the assignment and missed the deadline."
The performance and betrayal senses are particularly associated with American informal speech.
An expression of surprise, shock, frustration, or bewilderment.
"What the shit happened to the server?"
Highly informal and usually offensive in formal settings.
The plural is rare; the noun is normally used as a mass noun when referring to feces or as part of an idiomatic expression.
"The interview was full of shits about the company’s plans."
Long before it became a modern obscenity, the word had a respectable life in English as the ordinary Old English term for dung.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shit come from?
The word descends from Old English scīte, meaning “dung” or “excrement,” and ultimately from a Germanic root associated with defecating. Middle English forms include shite, while related vocabulary appears in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch schijt and German Scheiß. The modern spelling shit reflects the later development of the Middle English form and retains the word’s long history as a blunt designation for bodily waste.
Related word forms
How shit is actually used
Extremely informal and usually vulgar. Its use can be humorous, deliberately exaggerated, or offensive depending on context and speaker. The sense meaning worthless or contemptible is especially common in expressions such as “a piece of shit,” while meanings involving deceit or poor performance are often associated with “bullshit” or “shit on”.