Cocker's English Dictionary: Interpreting the most refined and difficult words, by Edward Cocker. London, 1704.
The English Expositor Improv'd, by J.B. [John Bullokar], revised by R. B rowne. London, 1707.
Glossographia Anglicana Nova: Or, A Dictionary, Interpreting Such Hard Words of whatever Language, as are at present used in the English Tongue, with their Etymologies, Definition, &c., Second Edition, London, 1719:
Cocker's English Dictionary, by Edward Cocker, 3rd edition, London, 1724:
A New English Dictionary: Or, A Compleat Collection Of the Most Proper and Significant Words and Terms of Art, Commonly used in the Language, Third Edition, By. J. K. [Kersey], London, 1731:
A New English Dictionary, Containing a Collection of Words in the English Language, Properly Explain'd and Alphabetically Dispos'd, By B. N. Defoe, Gent. [Benjamin Defoe], Westminster: 1735: The New Royal and Universal English Dictionary, By J. Johnson, London, 1763: Encyclopædia Britannica; Or, A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, &c., Second Edition, Vol. X, Edinburgh, 1783: A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, (by Grose), London, 1785: A New Dictionary of All the Cant and Flash Languages, by Humphry Tristram Potter, London, n.d.: Lingua Britannica Reformata: Or, A New English Dictionary, by Benjamin Martin, London, 1799: Blackguardiana: Dictionary of Rogues, Bawds, Pimps, Whores, Pickpockets, &/;c. &c., [by James Caulfield], London, [1795]: A Large Dictionary English and Dutch Groot Woordenboek der Engelsche en Nederduytsche by W. Sewel, Amsterdam, 1717:
The Law-French Dictionary, Alphabetically Digested; To which is added, The Law-Latin Dictionary, Collected out of the best Auithors, by F. O., London, 1701:
The Royal Dictionary English and French, Divided in Two Parts. By Mr. Boyer. The Second Part. Printed at the Hague, 1702:
A Compendious Dictionary of the French Language, chiefly Designed to teach the Pronunciation of it, by V. J. Peyton, London, 1764: A New Pocket Dictionary of the French and English Languages, by Thomas Nugent, London, 1767: SOURCE: Various dictionaries and encyclopedias, as cited above.
CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation:
NOTE: In the following selection of definitions from dictionaries published during the eighteenth century, the most common words relating to homosexuality are "sodomy" and "buggery", which of course is no surprise. I think we can safely assume that "buggery" is widely understood as meaning anal intercourse between males, but the word "sodomy" seems to have a rather broader meaning, i.e. sex of any sort between males. Indeed, in Cocker's English dictionary of 1704 sodomy is defined simply as "male venery", which is really as abstract as the modern synonym "male homosexuality". Incidentally, the word "catamite" is sometimes just a synonym for "sodomite", and was not always restricted to one who submits to sodomy. There are also some other surprises. For example, the word "molly" appeared in a Swedish/English dictionary in 1762, where it is simply defined as a sodomite, a buggerer, without effeminate connotations. "Molly" also appeared in a French/English dictionary in 1767, as well as in several slang (or "cant") dictionaries, along with other slang terms such as "madge". It is also interesting to see the less familiar terms given in dictionaries of Hindi, Persian, Spanish and Welsh. There is a good subject here for a major linguistic study.
English
Catamidiate, a putting to open shame for a notorious offence.
Catamite, a boy hired to be used contrary to nature, for Sodomy.
Cataphysick, aganst nature.
Sodomitical, one gilty of the horrid sin of
Sodomy, Male venery, or buggery: A
Sodomite in which City of Sodom, this wickedness was first committed, that we read of.
Catamite. A Ganymede, or Ingle; that is, a Boy hired to be us'd contrary to Nature, to commit Sodomy with.
Sodomy. Masculine Venery, Buggery, first known to have been used among the People of Sodom.
Catamite, a Boy kept for Sodomy.
Ganymede, the Name of a Trojan Boy; now it commonly signifies any Boy loved for Carnal Abuse, or hired to be used contrary to Nature, to commit the Sin of Sodomy.
. . . .
Gomorrhean, (from Gomorrha,) Sodomite, a Buggerer.
Sodomite, a Person given to Sodomy or Buggery, the Sin of Sodom, the chief of the five Cities in Palestine, which was destroy'd by fire from Heaven; the Territory where it stood being swallowed up in the Brimstone Lake, commonly called the Dead Sea.
Sodomy, Male-Venery, for which Sodom was destroyed.
A Sodomite, one that commits
Sodomy, i.e. Buggery, a heinous Crime, so called because the Inhabitants of Sodom were notoriously guilty of it.
SODOMITE, one who commits the Sin of Sodomy, a Buggerer.
SODOMITICAL, belonging to Sodomy.
SODOMY, a Sin of the Flesh against Nature, Buggery.
CATAMITE, n. s. a sodomite.
SODOM, formerly a town of Palestine in Asia, famous in scripture for the wickedness of its inhabitants, and their destruction by fire from heaven on account of that wickedness. The place where it stood is now covered by the waters of the Dead Sea, or the Lake Asphaltites.
SODOMY, the unnatural crime of buggery, thus called from the city of sodom, which was destroyed by fire for the same. See BUGGERY.
The Levitical law adjudged those guilty of this execrable crime to death; and the civil law assigns the same punishment to it. The law of England makes it felony. There is no statute in Scotland against Sodomy; the libel of the crime is therefore founded on the divine law, and practice makes its punishment to be burned alive.
BACK GAMMON PLAYER, a sodomite.
INDORSER, a sodomite; to indorse with a cudgel, to drub or beat a man over the back with a stick, to lay cane upon Abel.
MOLLY, a miss Molly, an effeminate fellow, a sodomite.
WINDWARD PASSAGE, one who uses, or navigates the windward passage, a sodomite.
MADGE, a sodomite.
MADGE CULL, a buggerer.
MADGE COVE, a keeper of a house for buggerers.
BUGGERY, sodomy, or sin against nature, as one man having copulation with another; or a man or woman with brute beast.
PATHIC, sub. a catamite, sodomite, or one who suffers himself to be abused contrary to nature.
SODOMITE (so called from the sin of Sodom) a buggerer, one that commits sodomy.
SODOMITICAL, of, or belonging to the sin of sodomy.
SODOMY, buggery, a sin of the flesh against nature; so called because committed by the inhabitants of Sodom.
BACK GAMMON PLAYER, a sodomite.
BUD SALLOGH, shitten p—ck [prick]; an Irish appellation for a sodomite.
INDORSER, a sodomite; to indorse with a cudgel, to drub or beat a man over the back with a stick, to lay cane upon Abel.
WINDWARD PASSAGE, one who uses, or navigates the windward passage, a sodomite.
Dutch / English
to BUGGER, Boggeren.
Buggerer, een Bogger.
Buggery, Boggery, stomme zonde, Sodomitische zonde.
. . . .
SODOMITE, een Sodomyt, bogger.
Sodomy, Sodomitische zonde, Sodomie.
French / English
Bougre, a Buggerer, bougerie, buggery.
Buggery, Pæderastia, œ, f. Buggery committed with Mankind or Beast is Felony without benefit of Clergy, it being a sin against God, Nature, and the Law, and in ancient times such Offenders were to be burned by the Common-Law. There are two Statutes for it, 25. H. 8. revived 3. Eliz. 17. One describeth this offence to be Carnalis copula contra naturam & hæc sel per confusionem specierum, sc. A Man or a Woman with a Brute Beast, vel.
A Buggerer, Pæderastes.
To commit Buggery, Pædico, art.
Sodomy (or Buggery) Sodemitæ., f.
A sodomite (or buggerer) Sodomita, æ, m. Pæderastes.
To BUGGER, V. Act. bougeronner.
Buggered, Adj. bougeronné.
Buggery, Subjt. Bougre, qui bougeronne.
Buggery, Subst. Sodomie.
. . . .
Sodomite, Subst. (or Buggerer) Un Sodomite, un Bougre.
Sodomical, Adj. De Sodomie.
SODOMY. Subst. (or Buggery, a Sin of the Flesh against Nature) Sodomie.
Sodomie, N. S. pr. so-do-mee; sodomy; buggery.
Sodomite, N. S. pr. so-do-miet; a sodomite; a buggerer.
Molly (sodomite) s. bardache, m.
Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Homosexual Terms in 18th-century Dictionaries",
Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 13 May 2008, updated 15 July 2013, 29 July 2021
<http://www.rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/diction.htm>.
Return to Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England
Return to The Gay Subculture in Georgian England
Return to Gay History and Literature
