johnson
5 synonyms for johnson, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Vulgar slang for the penis.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Like several other common male names used as slang for the penis (e.g. "peter"), "Johnson" was adopted as a euphemistic nickname.
Full origin of johnson →Frequently asked questions
Is johnson a rude word?
As slang for the male anatomy, "johnson" is informal and regarded as vulgar, so it is out of place in formal, professional, or polite settings. It is milder and more comic than many alternatives and is often used humorously, but it still belongs to casual speech rather than clinical or respectful writing.
Is johnson always slang?
No. "Johnson" is most commonly a surname and given name, as in Samuel Johnson or Lyndon B. Johnson, and it appears in place names and brand names too. The anatomical slang sense is entirely separate and informal. Context and capitalization usually make the intended meaning clear.
Where does the slang johnson come from?
The origin is uncertain. The anatomical slang, recorded in American English from the mid-twentieth century, is one of many ordinary personal names humorously applied to a body part. Its exact source is undocumented, though its familiarity as a common surname likely helped it catch on as a euphemism.
