A merkin (first use 1617)'s a pubic wig, originally worn by prostitutes after shaving their genitalia. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language the term stems from an corruption of the obsolete work malkin, meaning a lower-class woman or mop, which's derived from a diminutive of the personal name Matilda. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary concurs in this derivation. There're many different ways of wearing a merkin, although most involve placing the merkin on… (More on Merkin)