 |
| Figure 1: Misspelled variation of the phrase "Colder than a witch's tit" |
Within the American English dialect there exist a fair number of strange idioms, or phrases, that are used to describe any number of phenomenon. Several of these idioms have been previously addressed on this blog (e.g., sweet phrases and colorful ones). Today’s post continues with the tradition of explaining the origins and meanings of unique American phrases, and given the time of year today’s phrase is one that is not often used: “Colder than a witch’s teet.”
The idiom “colder than a witch’s teet” has many variations. These include spelling teet as tit (the contemporary equivalent to the older teet, both of which refer to nipples). There are also misspellings of witch’s to witches, with the former being a possessive and the latter being a pluralization of the singular witch (Figure 1). There is also an extension of the phrase wherein it goes, “Colder than a witch’s tit in a brass brassiere” (note, this version is not the subject of today’s post and will not be discussed further). Regardless of how it is said the phrase means that it is unusually cold outside.
Surprisingly, the phrase originated fairly recently. It was first published in an American mystery novel, Spider House, authored by Francis Van Wyck Mason. The first edition of this book came out in 1932. It is unclear if the author invented the phrase on his own or if it was derived from street slang. This remains unclear since several sources claim that variations of the term were and remain part of popular language throughout New England and the American West, although these claims are unverified.
The question of where this idiom came from is less murky, however. It is very likely that the phrase borrows from terms used during the 1600s Witch Trials. As previously discussed on this blog the Witch Trials (and related Werewolf Trials) existed as a means for social groups to ostracize and cast out any individuals viewed as socially or physically abnormal. Throughout the 1600s deviant men were labeled werewolves, while deviant women were labeled witches. A series of criteria were identified to help “witch hunters” identify women, in particular, as witches. One such criteria was the presence of “witch’s tits”. This term was coined by famous English witch hunters Jacob Sprenger and Heinrich Kramer, who claimed such tits were meant for the suckling on by witch’s familiars or Satan himself. Their description of a “witch’s tit” was very similar to the anatomy of the clitoris, and as such required witch hunters across the world to take special care in examining women’s pubic areas. Upon discovery of an enlarged or swollen clitoris the woman would be declared guilty of witchcraft and dispatched as deemed fit by the local authorities.
It is unclear how, where, and why the witch’s tit was associated with cold. Some claim it may be linked to the belief that witchy women were cold blooded. It could be related to the natural phenomenon of constriction that occurs to other parts of a woman’s body when it is cold. Or it could have been something that Francis Van Wyck Mason found interesting and provocative, leading him to make that connection. Ultimately, the phrase exists in part due to the history of the witch trials and Francis Van Wyck Mason creative writing skills.
Works Cited
Briggs, R. (2002). Shapeshifting, Apparitions, and Fantasy in Witchcraft Trials. In K. A. Edwards, Werewolves, Witches, and Wandering Spirits: Traditional Belief in Folklore in Early Modern Europe (pp. 1-24). Kirksville: Truman State University Press.
Martin, G. (2026, August). Colder than a witch's tit. Retrieved from Phrase Finder: https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/colder-than-a-witchs-tit.html
New Jersey History Project. (2025). Origins of Cold as Balls and Cold as a Witch’s Teet. Retrieved from Mr. Local History Project: https://mrlocalhistory.org/coldasballs/
Orr, C. M. (1976). Folk comparisons from Colorado. Western folklore, 35(3), 175-208.
I believe I first heard this term during my teenage years, approximately 30 years ago. At the time, I assumed the expression was intended to describe how cold-hearted a witch was believed to be. I find it preposterous that witch hunters would examine a woman's clitoris and use their observations to determine whether she practiced witchcraft. I have always found witches fascinating, particularly the mystery, mysticism, and darker aspects of witchcraft associated with the occult and black magic.
ReplyDelete-Ty Elizalde
To start, just from the title of this post, I was intrigued as I had heard this saying before and knew it was outdated. It is interesting to learn that the origins of this saying come from a novel. I think this post would benefit from adding the excerpt in which the phrase was used. I find it disgusting that the witch hunters would use the examination of a woman's pubic area to declare witchcraft, and I want to know why they decided that was the best way to make a declaration of either guilty or not guilty.
ReplyDelete-Kristin Oliver
Kristin, to answer your question witch hunters were typically men, and they would often abuse their power and authority to do all manner of horrible things to men and women who were accused of being witches. For women this meant any manner of sexual assaults against them, all in the name of the authority of their position of "witch hunter". As the saying goes, "Power corrupts."
ReplyDelete