What does dick mean?
Dick is an English noun with two dominant modern uses. In vulgar slang it denotes the penis, making it unsuitable for polite conversation. More commonly in everyday speech, it functions as an informal insult for someone who is rude, selfish, or obnoxious — 'he was being a dick' means he behaved badly toward others. A third, now dated American usage employed dick to mean a detective or private investigator, surviving mainly in noir fiction. The verb form, chiefly British slang, means to mistreat or cheat someone, as in 'I got dicked over on that deal.' The word originated as a pet form of Richard, a use that long predates its slang senses, and appears in countless fixed expressions. Because of its strong register, writers should reserve it for informal dialogue or deliberately coarse narration, and speakers should gauge their audience before using it.
Vulgar slang for the penis; informally, a person regarded as stupid, mean, or objectionable.
"He apologised for acting like such a dick at dinner."
Both senses are strongly informal; the anatomical sense is explicitly vulgar.
Chiefly British slang: to cheat, swindle, or treat someone badly.
"They really dicked him over with that contract."
Usually appears as 'dick someone over/around'.
Regular plural. When used of people, it is pejorative and should be avoided in neutral contexts.
"Some dicks at the bar kept heckling the comedian all night."
The nickname 'Dick' for Richard arose centuries before any slang sense did — so generations of Richards were unknowingly walking around with a very different word attached to their name.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dick
Dick began life as a rhyming nickname for Richard — a medieval English habit that produced Dick from Rick via 'Richard → Rick → Dick' — and this use is attested by the sixteenth century. The slang sense referring to the penis emerged later, likely in the nineteenth century, and the insulting sense for a disagreeable person developed from there. The detective sense arose in late nineteenth-century America. It is not related etymologically to words like 'dictate' or 'predict', which come from Latin dicere.
Related word forms
How dick is actually used
Strongly informal to vulgar; avoid in formal writing, professional contexts, and around people who have not signalled comfort with coarse language. The 'detective' sense is dated and now mostly found in historical fiction. The person-directed insult is common but carries genuine offence potential. The verb sense ('to dick someone over') is chiefly British and colloquial.
Easily confused with dick
Dick is also the traditional short form of the name Richard and has no connection in meaning to its slang uses.
A dike is an embankment built to prevent flooding (or, as dyke, an offensive term); despite the similar spelling it is unrelated in meaning.