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Fanny Adams

(UK, naval, _, slang, obsolete, derogatory) Tinned meat.

ˈfæni ˈædəmzDocumented since 1850sSilenthistoricalCurrent157 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
2 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1859 · 1 year of recorded use
1859Born2026: 1 citationToday, 2026

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(UK, naval, _, slang, obsolete, derogatory) Tinned meat.

The Engineer Lieutenant pushed his head inside his neighbour's cabin: “Come along—come along! You'll be late for dinner. Fresh grub to-night: no more ‘Russian Kromeskis’ and ‘Fanny Adams’!”
Origin: From Fanny Adams (1859–1867), a young girl brutally murdered and dismembered. Tins of mutton introduced in the British navy after her death were not liked by the sailors and were humorously said to be her butchered remains. Fanny Adams then came to mean any worthless thing, and, eventually, nothing at all ("sweet F A"). Coincidentally, the initials "FA" also fit the vulgar term fuck all, also meaning "nothing at all", leading to later perception of "Fanny Adams", or "FA", being a euphemism for the latter. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK

(chiefly, British) Nothing (now largely perceived as euphemistic for fuck all).

The Engineer Lieutenant pushed his head inside his neighbour's cabin: “Come along—come along! You'll be late for dinner. Fresh grub to-night: no more ‘Russian Kromeskis’ and ‘Fanny Adams’!”
For parents

Fanny Adams means: Nothing (now largely perceived as euphemistic for fuck all).. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

Fanny Adams means: Nothing (now largely perceived as euphemistic for fuck all).. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Heard in the wild
  • “Fanny Adams - Mid Morning Madness [London, UK / Australia ; Hard Rock / Blues Rock] (1971) https://redd.it/17kj7e8 https://youtu.be/2MJpAPt6luE”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

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