Bitch

Bitch is a strongly derogatory term from English, historically used as an insult for women. As an animal metaphor, it originally referred to a female dog in heat and was then transferred to people, usually with the intent to insult, control or portray women as “improper”.

The word can still be hurtful and sexist today. In some feminist, queer or musical contexts, however, “bitch” is deliberately used as a self-description or as a provocative reappropriation to reject its degrading meaning. This only makes sense in the specific context and is not automatically respectful; outside such settings, the term remains an insult in most cases.