Meaning
What does Bish mean?
Bish is a less offensive version of the aggressive insult towards a woman “bitch”.
While “bitch” is meant to be hurtful and is often censored online for being a profanity, “bish” is much less aggressive and is used in a playful manner, often between friends.
It is also less likely to be censored online.
A “bish” is a person that you have known for a long time, and you have been through thick and thin together. You know each other so well that you are both aware that insulting each other is just a way of showing love towards one another.
It is mainly used between female friends, gay men or drag queens.
Origin
What's the origin of Bish?
It has been recorded as far back as 2004, and seems to have started out as slang used by black women, particularly in black drag queen culture.
In 2012, rapper Kendrick Lamar made the term popular in his track “Money Trees”, where the phrase “ya bish” is mentioned repeatedly.
Spread & Usage
How did Bish spread?
Two years later, rapper Nicki Minaj released her hit “Yasss Bish” which further popularized the slang term, and she also stated that it is a positive slang to lift up fellow women.
In 2017, singer Katy Perry released her track “Swish Swish”, featuring Nicki Minaj, repeating the chorus “swish, swish, bish”.
External resources
- Dictionary.com – Bish