Pig

Pig (noun / UK slang / insult)

(Also heard as: The pigs, Piggies, Filth)

Definition: A harsh, derogatory put-down for the police or a copper.

Pronunciation: /pɪɡ/

Where It Comes From: London street thieves in the 1800s first called night watchmen “pigs” because they were nosy and always sniffing around. It blew up globally during 1960s civil rights and anti-war protests, and stuck around British council estates and inner cities ever since.

How People Actually Use It: Nobody says it with love. It gets muttered when someone gets pulled over for speeding, during a row on a night out, or when coppers break up a house party. It’s got way more bite than old-school British nicknames like the Old Bill or Plod.

Examples in the Wild:

• “The pigs are cracking down on speeders down the bypass.”

  Translation: “The police are strictly enforcing speed limits today.”

• “He had a run-in with the pigs outside the pub last night.”

  Translation: “He got into trouble with the police yesterday.”

• “Watch your speed—pigs sitting in a van by the bridge.”

  Translation: “Slow down, there’s a police speed check ahead.”

Similar Slang: The Filth, Feds, Old Bill, Rozzers, Coppers, Plod, Five-O