Meaning
What does Butterface mean?
“Butterface” comes from the meaning “but-her-face”, two terms that sound equal if spoken out loud.
The term refers to a woman with a very attractive, well shaped body, but with a face that is deemed unattractive by many.
It is simultaneously a compliment and a rude insult, as calling someone a butterface indicates that they have a beautiful body, but that their face is ugly.
Another definition has a similar meaning, that the word is simply put together by “butter” and “face”, indicating that a person has mushy, undefined facial features.
Origin
What's the origin of Butterface?
“Butterface” comes from “but-her-face”, as in: “Her body is incredible, but her face…”
The slang was seen in literature in 2004, in the book “My Old Man” by Amy Sohn. A man is describing a woman with a hot figure and a butterface.
A reader reported that the term butterface has been around since he was a kid in the 1980s.
Spread & Usage
How did Butterface spread?
Somewhat surprisingly, there are adult entertainment categories specifically dedicated to “butterface” videos.
Also on the popular communication platform Reddit, there is a subreddit, “r/butterfaces” devoted to the same preference, mostly involving women with attractive figures but less attractive faces.
The term is quite new and seems to be more frequently used by the younger generations.
Note that although the term indicates that a person has a nice body, it is still considered an insult.
External resources
- Urban Dictionary – butter face