A hickey, also known as a love bite or kiss mark, is a temporary bruise or mark caused by kissing or sucking on the skin forcefully enough to burst superficial blood vessels under the skin. This rupturing of small capillaries produces a reddish or purplish mark that can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. But why is this bruise specifically called a “hickey”? Let’s take a closer look at the origins and history behind the name of this intimate experience.
The Etymology of “Hickey”
The word “hickey” dates back to the 1920s. It derives from the word “hickie” which first appeared in the early 19th century to mean a fit of hiccups. The word “hickey” was born when people started using “hickie” to refer to love bites because of the notion that giving or receiving one could cause enough excitement to produce hiccups in the process. So the wordplay transforms the cause (excitement) into the effect (hiccups/hickey).
Another theory suggests “hickey” comes from the Scottish word “heck”, meaning to capture or ensnare. A love bite could be seen as “capturing” affection. But most etymologists agree “hickey” first emerged as a variant of “hickie” in reference to hiccups.
How Hickeys Got Their Name
In the 1920s and 30s, “hickey” became a widely used slang term, especially among teenagers and young adults engaging in petting or necking – intimate but non-penetrative activities. The word showed up in pop culture through songs like “Give Me a Great Big Hickey” (1938) which includes lyrics like:
“Now necking is nice but it isn’t precise, it’s too indefinite to suit my taste/Give me a great big hickey to prove that you love me!”
As “hickey” entered the lexicon, its link to hiccups and excitement made it a punchy, fun-sounding word fitting for a frisky kind of teenage love bite. Its innocuous etymology masked its true racy meaning, perfect for coded public discussions about necking. The word’s phonetic similarity to “hiccup” also made it seem like a plausible origin.
How Did Hickeys Get Associated with Hiccupping?
So how did people come to associate hickeys with hiccups in the first place? There are a few possibilities:
- The intake of breath – hiccupping involves a sudden inhalation that mimics similar gasps of excitement or arousal during lovebiting.
- The neck location – stimulating the neck area via kissing or sucking can affect the vagus nerve, potentially causing spasms like hiccups.
- The body’s neurological response to touch and intimacy.
The physical reaction of hiccupping due to pleasure may have struck some as a cute metaphor for the concept of “love bites.” And so the slang term “hickey” was born.
The Phenomenon Spreads
By the 1950s, “hickey” as slang for a love bite gained enough use to appear in dictionaries. Its coy allusion to hiccups made it just naughty enough without being too vulgar for print. Even media like TV and film could get away with using the term as its origin story provided a wink rather than an outright mention of what a hickey truly indicated – sexual activity.
As knowledge and mention of the practice spread, so did its nickname. Teen magazines like Seventeen provided tips on hiding hickeys and cautioned girls not to let boys give them for fear of ruining their reputations. The concept permeated pop culture through movies like the Beach Blanket Bingo and songs like “Hickey” by The Twilighters.
Why “Hickey” Stuck Around
Unlike some decades-specific slang, “hickey” had surprising staying power. Reasons why include:
- Its onomatopoeic, fun-to-say quality.
- The cheeky innocence of its backstory.
- Short, punchy, catchy phonetics.
- Distinction from clinical terms like bruise, contusion, or petechiae.
“Love bite” never took off the same way, perhaps due to confusion with animals bites or vampire lore. “Kiss mark” and “hummer” – also synonyms for hickey – also failed to capture the public imagination. Only “hickey” had the right blend of naughty and nice.
Hickeys in the Digital Age
Today, hickeys remain a familiar experience among teenagers and young adults, especially those in short-term casual relationships. Advances in medicine have brought insights into preventing and treating hickeys more quickly.
But the standard slang is still “hickey”. While pop culture references have waned, its euphemistic etymology remains a discreet digital age advantage, allowing people to search online about removal remedies without revealing too much.
The trademark adolescent experience of getting a hickey (or being embarrassed by one) persists. And so does the coy little word used to describe it since the roaring twenties – a hickey.
Origin Story Summary
In summary, “hickey” became the slang term for a love bite due to:
- Its playful reference to hiccups as a sign of excitement and arousal
- Its emergence in the 1920s during the petting culture
- Teen magazines, movies and music spreading the term
- Its euphemistic and cute sound compared to clinical words
- The endurance of the hickey experience among youth over decades
So the story behind why it’s called a hickey is part linguistic coincidence and pop culture influence, blended with a dash of naughty fun – giving us a cute and enduring term for an intimate bruise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a hickey and not a love bite?
Though “love bite” is an accurate description, “hickey” became the more popular slang term in the 1920s. Its reference to hiccups was a coy, indirect way to reference sexual activity, while still being acceptable for media and public use.
Where did the slang hickey come from?
The word “hickey” first emerged as a variant of “hickie”, which referred to hiccups or fits. In the 20s, it evolved into slang for love bites due to the notion that excitement from necking could cause hiccups.
When did hickey first appear?
The term “hickey” slang emerged in the 1920s during the rise of petting and necking among American teenagers. It was popularized through pop culture like songs, movies, and magazines.
Is hickey still a used term?
Yes, while not as pervasive in pop culture today, “hickey” remains the standard slang term for a love bite, especially online where discretion is helpful.
Why did hickey stick around so long?
“Hickey” endured over decades due to its playful euphemism, distinct sound, and continued relevance among teenagers practicing kissing, necking, and hickeys.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the slang term “hickey” has its origins in the 1920s culture of petting and necking, which associated excitement and arousal with hiccups. The coy reference, cute sound, and pop culture spread of “hickey” made it a lasting slang term for the bruise resulting from aggressive kissing or sucking. While not as prevalent in media today, its euphemistic backstory persists in allowing discreet digital discussion of this still common experience among young adults.