Bitch, literally meaning a female dog, is a slang for a person, commonly a woman, who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, a
control freak, rudely intrusive or aggressive. When applied to a man,
bitch is a derogatory term for a subordinate. Its original use as a vulgarism, documented to the fourteenth century, suggested high
sexual desire in a woman, comparable to a
dog in heat. The range of meanings has expanded in modern usage. In a
feminist context, it can indicate a strong or
assertive woman.