Pissant
Encyclopedia
A pissant, also seen as piss-ant and piss ant, is one or the other of two specific types of ant
. Its origin is with pismire, a 14th-century word for ant. The term is also used as an insulting noun, and a pejorative
adjective. The original pissant is any of a certain group of large ant species
, commonly called wood ants, that make mounded nests in forests throughout most of Europe
. The name pissant arises from the urine
-like odor produced by their nesting material—needles and straw from pine
trees—and the formic acid
that constitutes their venom
.
Formica rufa
is one such ant, but there are others with similar characteristics. It may be derived from the term pismire. Forelius and Irydomyrmex are two genera of piss ants. In the United States
, the word pissant can refer to any small ant that infests a home. A derived meaning of the word is something that is insignificant, though the term is sometimes considered vulgar.
politician who also popularized the term once silenced a heckler by saying "I'm a big dog on a big hunt and I don't have time for a piss-ant on a melon stalk."
The term piss-ant can also be used as an adjective, usually as a pejorative
, to mean insignificant and annoying. In conversations with his advisors during the Vietnam War
, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
referred to Vietnam
as "a piddling piss-ant little country".
In the musical
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
, Miss Mona Stangley sings the song "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place".
It was the basis of the nickname for mob boss "The Ant" Anthony Spilotro
after an FBI agent referred to him as a "Pissant" during a press conference, though the media couldn't use the prefix. Spilotro is best known in pop-culture as the basis for Joe Pesci
's character in the 1995 film Casino
.
Piss ant can also be used positively. Ron Ault of the AFL-CIO
said, in describing the relationship of his union to the Pentagon
, "Our job is to be the irritant, piss ant stinging them on their ankles at every opportunity."
After being defeated 4–0 in an Australian semi-final football (soccer)
match against Melbourne Victory
, Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar
's post-match press conference became infamous when he described Adelaide
as a "pissant town". The rant gained nation-wide publicity in Australia.
Ant
Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from wasp-like ancestors in the mid-Cretaceous period between 110 and 130 million years ago and diversified after the rise of flowering plants. More than...
. Its origin is with pismire, a 14th-century word for ant. The term is also used as an insulting noun, and a pejorative
Pejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
adjective. The original pissant is any of a certain group of large ant species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
, commonly called wood ants, that make mounded nests in forests throughout most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The name pissant arises from the urine
Urine
Urine is a typically sterile liquid by-product of the body that is secreted by the kidneys through a process called urination and excreted through the urethra. Cellular metabolism generates numerous by-products, many rich in nitrogen, that require elimination from the bloodstream...
-like odor produced by their nesting material—needles and straw from pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees—and the formic acid
Formic acid
Formic acid is the simplest carboxylic acid. Its chemical formula is HCOOH or HCO2H. It is an important intermediate in chemical synthesis and occurs naturally, most notably in the venom of bee and ant stings. In fact, its name comes from the Latin word for ant, formica, referring to its early...
that constitutes their venom
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
.
Formica rufa
Formica rufa
Formica rufa, also known as the southern wood ant or horse ant, is a boreal member of the Formica rufa group of ants, commonly found throughout much of Europe in both coniferous and broad-leaf broken woodland and parkland. Workers can measure 8–10 mm in length...
is one such ant, but there are others with similar characteristics. It may be derived from the term pismire. Forelius and Irydomyrmex are two genera of piss ants. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the word pissant can refer to any small ant that infests a home. A derived meaning of the word is something that is insignificant, though the term is sometimes considered vulgar.
Slang
Pissant is an epithet for an inconsequential, irrelevant, or worthless person, especially one who is irritating or contemptible out of proportion to his or her significance. A VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
politician who also popularized the term once silenced a heckler by saying "I'm a big dog on a big hunt and I don't have time for a piss-ant on a melon stalk."
The term piss-ant can also be used as an adjective, usually as a pejorative
Pejorative
Pejoratives , including name slurs, are words or grammatical forms that connote negativity and express contempt or distaste. A term can be regarded as pejorative in some social groups but not in others, e.g., hacker is a term used for computer criminals as well as quick and clever computer experts...
, to mean insignificant and annoying. In conversations with his advisors during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
referred to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
as "a piddling piss-ant little country".
Culture
In the Monty Python sketch "Bruces' Philosophers Song", the philosopher Immanuel Kant is referred to as a 'pissant' in the first line.In the musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall...
, Miss Mona Stangley sings the song "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place".
It was the basis of the nickname for mob boss "The Ant" Anthony Spilotro
Anthony Spilotro
Anthony "The Ant" Spilotro was an Italian-American mobster and enforcer for the Chicago Outfit in Las Vegas during the 1970s and 1980s. His job was to protect and oversee the Outfit's illegal casino profits...
after an FBI agent referred to him as a "Pissant" during a press conference, though the media couldn't use the prefix. Spilotro is best known in pop-culture as the basis for Joe Pesci
Joe Pesci
Joseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
's character in the 1995 film Casino
Casino (film)
Casino is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese...
.
Piss ant can also be used positively. Ron Ault of the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
said, in describing the relationship of his union to the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, "Our job is to be the irritant, piss ant stinging them on their ankles at every opportunity."
After being defeated 4–0 in an Australian semi-final football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
match against Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory Football Club is an Australian professional football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, that plays in the A-League....
, Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar
Aurelio Vidmar
Aurelio Vidmar is an Australian football player and former captain of the Australian national team. He is currently not tied to any A-league club...
's post-match press conference became infamous when he described Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
as a "pissant town". The rant gained nation-wide publicity in Australia.