Slang dictionary
fifi
[fee-fee]
What does fifi mean?
Fifi is a prison slang term for an artificial vagina made from whatever materials are available.
Where does fifi come from?
In the early 1900s, fifi was used as a slang reference for an effeminate man. By the 1940s, the term was also a slur for “gay.”
Fifi,听sometimes appearing as听fifi-bag, has been found in prison slang throughout the US since at least 1972. It means “vaginas” constructed out of everyday materials used for masturbation. The term made its way out of prison in the 1990s.听Fifi is used in Eric B. and Rakim’s 1990 hip-hop song, “Let the Rhythm Hit ‘Em,” as a slang term for “woman,” with fifi here a coarse generalization of the original prison slang.
In a 1999 Google-forum discussion, “Masturbation tricks, tip [sic], and home devices,” an anonymous user posted directions for making a听fifi, suggesting the term was seeing wider adoption outside prison.听Vice writer Gavin McInnes defined and explained assembly of a fifi in the 2003 Vice Guide to Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll. In 2008, another Vice article, “Uncle Pat’s Fifi Bag” provided detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to construct a fifi using household items.
Examples of fifi
Who uses fifi?
Fifi is widely used among the American prison population and in discussions about life in American prisons. In 2015, for instance, a Reddit user uploaded a video instructional guide called For those of you that have not been to prison, here is a lesson on making a Fifi. The video听made it to the front page of the site and sparked interest in the term on the internet.
Fifi is occasionally used in hip-hop as slang for “woman,” apparently because of its use among inmates.
The slang fifi is not to be confused with a variety of other, unrelated fifi‘s. In 1942, the Commemorative Air Force first flew a Boeing B-29 Superfortress affectionately nicknamed FIFI in 1974. FIFI has been featured in several films and television shows, including the 2015 TV drama Better Call Saul.听Fifi is also the name of a special type of climbing hook. And, in France, Fifi听is a popular pet name for Josephine听and sometimes literally a pet name for dogs, specifically French poodles.
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of fifi like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of fifi that will help our users expand their word mastery.