What exactly does calling one A Douche/Douchebag make them?

What does Douche mean, when describing a person?

 

It means "shower" in French.

 

It's someone who unnecessarily capitalizes words.

 

It means "another rumor in the night" in American.

 

And German.

Scummy

 

It means German in French?

 

Calling someone a douche or douchebag is basically feminizing them. You'll rarely find women being called one, because it's not offensive to feminize a woman - she already is feminie.

For men, calling them a douche or douchebag is kind of like a stronger way of saying that they're a pansy, a girl, or the other p word that ends with y and is also a synonym for a cat. In western culture it's seen as very offensive to feminize a man - they're guys, dudes, whatnot, so you don't want to compare them to a girl or something that a girl uses.

 

I think more people know it as an insult rather than what the word itself actually means. I only know "douche" as meaning "idiot". I have no idea of actual meanings behind the word.

I'd actually be interested to know which came first. The insult definition, or the other definition.

 

That's probably part of the reason it's an insult, but I think it's more the "eeeewwww douches" factor.

 

If that were the case, colostomy bag would be just as popular of an insult as douchebag.

The fact that it unique to women is what really packs the punch, not the fact that it's kinda gross.

 

Point taken.

I just don't want one of my favorite insults to be so sexist!

 

I don't know. Maybe it originated as feminization, but it tends to apply to someone demonstrating aggressively bad behavior, whereas feminizing terms ascribe passivity/weakness/triviality. To me it's the grossness factor that packs the sting. But maybe my idea of feminizing is too narrow.

 

"douche" means "jerk" in my neck of the woods.

 

And yet variations on the male member are also used as insults.

 

My friend calls me that all the time. Good naturedly, of course. But it's usually after I've done or said something really stupid. So for me, it means idiot. Except more forceful.

 

It makes them someone who commits douchebaggery (or douchebaggetry).

Such as perhaps, oh I don't know, giving false credit card information when asked to donate money to a anti-proposition 8 cause...

Or rickrolling a synagogue in service...

 

I thought the same thing. lol

 

Actually, there are other good reasons why "colostomy bag" hasn't become the insult "douchebag" has. First, you're looking at five syllables instead of one or two, which is a definite hindrance to popularity. Worse, it's five syllables with the emphasis on the second one, and that's just awkward. [Try saying it while giving punch to every syllable, the way one can with other long-form epithets.] Second, the word "colostomy" is easy to mess up, especially in the heat of the moment, which can undercut even the best of insults. Third, while colostomy bags aren't exactly obscure, they fit within a specific niche of the human experience (licensed healthcare), and many may simply never encounter them.