cullion

From Middle English coilon, borrowed from Old French coillon (“testicle"; also, "a vile fellow, coward, dupe”), from Vulgar Latin *cōleō, cōleōnem, from Latin cōleus (“a leather bag, the scrotum”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌl.jən/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkʌl.jən/
• Hyphenation: cul‧lion

cullion (plural cullions)

1. (archaic) Testicle.
   • 1587, Raphael Holinshed, Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande, London: John Harison et al., “Henrie the fourth, cousine germane to Richard the second, latelie depriued,” p. 523,

     […] the kings enimies were vanquished, and put to flight, in which flight, the earle of Dowglas, for hast, falling from the crag of an hie mounteine, brake one of his cullions, and was taken, and for his valiantnesse, of the king frankelie and freelie deliuered.

   • 1634, Philemon Holland (translator), The Historie of the World: commonly called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus, London, Book 28, Chapter 15, p. 334,

     As touching the galls, which by ouermuch riding on horseback be incident to the twist and the inner parts of the thigh, as euery man knoweth full well, which do burne and chaufe the skin in those parts; the fomie slime which a horse yeeldeth, as well from his mouth as his cullions, is soueraigne therefore, if the place be annointed therwith.

2. (archaic) A vile person.
   • c. 1593, William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, Act IV, Scene 2,

     Mistake no more; I am not Licio.

     Nor a musician as I seem to be;

     But one that scorn to live in this disguise

     For such a one as leaves a gentleman

     And makes a god of such a cullion.

   • 1594, Christopher Marlowe, Edward II,

     He weares a lords reuenewe on his back,

     And Midas like he iets it in the court,

     With base outlandish cullions at his heeles,