# merkin

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɜːkɪn/ · frequency rank #93,985

## Definitions
1. A woman's pubic wig. Worn for nude stage appearances and by women, originally after shaving their pubic hair to eliminate lice or for other reasons, now often as a fashion item.
2. A mop for cleaning cannon.
3. The male counterpart of a beard, a companion to a lesbian to feign her straightness.

## Etymology
1617, probably a variant form of malkin, from Malde + -kin.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/merkin