Gippy bint
Gippy bint: An Egyptian girl.[1] "Bint" comes from Arabic بنت meaning "daughter", "female descendent", or colloquially, "girl."[2]
The term entered the British lexicon during the occupation of Egypt at the end of the 19th century, where it was adopted by British soldiers to simply mean "girlfriend" or "bit on the side". Its register varies from that of the much harsher term "bitch" to being affectionate, the latter more commonly associated with the West Midlands. The term was used in British armed forces and the London area synonymously with "bird" in its slang usage (and sometimes "brass") from at least the 1950s. In the Tyneside shipping industry, particularly in Laygate, in South Shields, the term may have been adopted earlier, from the Yemeni community which had existed there since the 1890s.[3]
References / notes
Glossary of words and phrases
The above term is listed in our glossary of words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary to the war, which is reflected in the language used. They have been transcribed from three primary sources (see Contents). Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.
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