golden shower: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Informal, Slang, Taboo
Quick answer
What does “golden shower” mean?
A phrase referring to urine being passed on someone, typically as a sexual practice.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A phrase referring to urine being passed on someone, typically as a sexual practice.
Primarily used to denote a specific sexual fetish (urophilia); secondarily, in botany, a common name for certain flowering plants (e.g., Laburnum, Cassia). The sexual meaning is overwhelmingly dominant in contemporary usage.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. Both varieties recognize the sexual slang and the botanical sense.
Connotations
Identical strong sexual/vulgar connotations in both dialects.
Frequency
The sexual slang usage is more frequently encountered than the botanical term in general discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “golden shower” in a Sentence
to give [someone] a golden showerto receive a golden shower from [someone]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “golden shower” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He wanted to golden shower his partner.
American English
- They discussed golden showering.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Rare, except in clinical/sexological contexts or specific botanical texts.
Everyday
Avoided in polite conversation due to its vulgar sexual meaning.
Technical
Used in sexology; also a colloquial plant name in horticulture.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “golden shower”
Strong
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “golden shower”
- Using it innocently to describe a wonderful shower experience or a showerhead with gold fittings.
- Assuming it is a positive or neutral term in most contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Rarely. It is primarily sexual slang. A secondary, innocent meaning exists as a colloquial name for certain plants with cascading yellow flowers, but this is far less common in everyday speech.
Almost never. Use only if essential to the topic (e.g., academic sexology) and consider using the clinical term 'urophilia' or specifying the botanical species (e.g., Laburnum anagyroides).
The direct translation ('золотой душ') is a known calque for the sexual practice in Russian. It is not used for the plant, which has a different name ('золотой дождь' for Laburnum). Using it literally can cause severe offense.
In necessary discussion, the broader, slightly less graphic slang term 'water sports' or the clinical term 'urophilia' may be used, though all terms are inappropriate for general polite conversation.
A phrase referring to urine being passed on someone, typically as a sexual practice.
Golden shower: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡəʊl.dən ˈʃaʊ.ər/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡoʊl.dən ˈʃaʊ.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Avoid this 'shower' unless you're talking about yellow flowers or are in a very specific adult context.
Conceptual Metaphor
URINE IS LIQUID GOLD / A SEXUAL ACT IS A METEOROLOGICAL EVENT (rain, shower).
Practice
Quiz
In which context might 'golden shower' be used in a non-sexual, technical sense?