Quincy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A city in eastern Massachusetts located in Norfolk County, part of the Boston metropolitan area
2. A municipality in Massachusetts situated south of Boston, historically known for its granite quarries and shipbuilding
3. A city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, positioned along the Atlantic coast near Boston

Etymology: Quincy is a surname that began as a place name in France. Norman families took their names from estates and villages, and Quincy, or Quincey, was one such place. The name reaches back to Latin "Quintus," meaning "fifth," traditionally given to a fifth-born child. Through Old French it became a surname, and English speakers carried it across the Channel with the Normans. The word's most famous sense has nothing to do with the family name. It comes from John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, who had a flush toilet installed at the White House. People began using "quincy" as a slang term for a toilet, a usage that has stayed mostly American and informal ever since.