Meaning
In Jamaican usage, a derogatory slur for a lesbian — a woman who loves women — a hateful, condemning term drawn from the biblical word for sexual sin. It is offensive and demeaning, expressing a real and harsh prejudice, and it is documented here to explain the slur and how it is used, not to endorse it. Set down for understanding rather than for use, it is one of the cruel words recorded with the plain caution that the people it targets deserve respect, and the term itself is hateful.
Examples
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In Jamaica the word is used specifically as a slur against lesbians.
In Jamaica the word is used specifically as a slur against lesbians.
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It is hostile and condemning, not a neutral description.
It is hostile and condemning, not a neutral description.
Origin
From the biblical 'sodomite'; in Jamaican speech it narrowed into a slur aimed at lesbians (where 'battyman' targets gay men).
How it’s used
Documentation only, not endorsement. A hate slur; offensive and harmful. 'Man-royal' is another slur with the same target.