the.com/tampon
A small absorbent product inserted into the body to manage menstrual flow.
means A small absorbent plug, usually of cotton or rayon, inserted into the body to block the flow of blood or other secretions, most commonly used for menstrual flow.
from From French 'tampon,' meaning a plug or stopper, which came from the older French 'tapon' — a piece of cloth used to stop up a hole. That in turn traces back to a Germanic root shared with 'tap,' as in the tap you'd hammer into a cask to plug it. So the word's whole life has been about stopping things up, whether it's a leaking barrel or anything else that needs plugging.
- origin
- patented 1933, though ancient Egyptians used softened papyrus
- name source
- French word for a plug or stopper
- risk factor
- linked to toxic shock syndrome if left too long
- tax status
- still taxed as a luxury item in many places