Bitch, literally meaning a female dog, is a pejorative slang word for a person — usually a woman — who is belligerent, unreasonable, malicious, controlling, aggressive, or dominant. When applied to a man, bitch reverses its meaning and is a derogatory term for a subordinate, weak, or cowardly man. Its original use as a vulgarism, documented from the fifteenth 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.