fart

1 of 2

verb

farted; farting; farts

intransitive verb

often vulgar
: to expel intestinal gas from the anus

fart

2 of 2

noun

1
often vulgar : an expulsion of intestinal gas
2
often vulgar : a foolish or contemptible person
couldn't stand the old fart

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ferten, farten; akin to Old High German ferzan to break wind, Old Norse freta, Greek perdesthai, Sanskrit pardate he breaks wind

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fart was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near fart

Cite this Entry

“Fart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fart. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!