whoreson

From Middle English horesone, hureson (also horessone, hores sone). Compare Dutch hoerenzoon, German Hurensohn (“whoreson”) and French fils de pute. By surface analysis, whore +‎ son.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈhɔːsən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɔɹ.sən/
• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)sən

whoreson (plural whoresons)

1. (archaic, derogatory) An illegitimate or misbegotten child born of unwed parents.
   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     Ah, you whoreſon loggerhead, you were borne to do me ſhame.

   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:

     Though this knave came something saucily to the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair, there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.

2. (literally, vulgar, derogatory) The son of a whore.

   Ploughing whoreson!

   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     Thou whoreson zed! Thou unnecessary letter!

• bastard; see also Thesaurus:bastard

• → Welsh: hwrswn

whoreson (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) mean; base; worthless