crissum

noun

cris·sum

ˈkrisəm

plural crissa

-sə

: the part of a bird surrounding the cloacal opening

also : the feathers covering that region : the under tail coverts

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin crissare, crisare to wiggle the backside while having sexual intercourse (said of a woman); akin to Old English hrith fever, scrīthan to go, move around, Old High German hritto fever, scrītan to go, step, Old Norse hrīth storm, attack, skrītha to creep, glide, Welsh cryd fever, ysgryd shiver, Lithuanian skrytis felly of a wheel, and probably to Latin curvus curved