wiener
|wee-ner|
🇺🇸
/ˈwiːnər/
🇬🇧
/ˈwiːnə/
Viennese sausage (hot dog)
Etymology
'wiener' originates from German, specifically the word 'Wiener', where 'Wien' meant 'Vienna' (the city) and 'Wiener' meant 'Viennese (from Vienna)'.
'wiener' changed from the German word 'Wiener' and the compound 'Wienerwurst' ('Wien' + 'Wurst' meaning 'Vienna sausage') and entered English usage as 'Vienna sausage' and later shortened or anglicized to 'wiener'.
Initially, it meant 'a sausage from Vienna'; over time it evolved into a general term for a hot dog in English and later acquired additional slang senses such as 'a timid or foolish person' and a childish term for 'penis'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of sausage, originally from Vienna; used in American English for a hot dog or frankfurter.
I bought a wiener from the street vendor.
Synonyms
Noun 2
informal, derogatory term for a person considered weak, timid, or foolish (equivalent to 'wimp' or 'loser').
Don't be such a wiener—try it at least once.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
childish or slang term for the penis.
The child pointed and said 'wiener' when asked about his body.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/10/10 02:33