Johnnie

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Slang for a condom ; a short open-backed gown worn by hospital patients ; a friendly diminutive of the male name John
2. Informal word for a sheath worn during sex ; a backless garment issued to patients in hospital ; a pet form of the given name John
3. A colloquial term for a condom ; the loose gown patients put on in a hospital ; an affectionate short form of the first name John

Etymology: "Johnnie" is simply another spelling of "johnny," and both come from "John," the common male given name. The diminutive ending "-y" (or "-ie") was attached to a first name to make a familiar, affectionate form, a pattern English has used for centuries with names like "Jack," "Billy," and "Bobby." The name itself has a long history. "John" passed into English from Latin "Iohannes," which came from the Greek "Ioannes" and ultimately from the Hebrew "Yochanan," meaning "God is gracious." Its enormous popularity across Christian Europe is why a pet form of it could grow so common, eventually becoming a general word in English for a fellow or chap.