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a woman seen as obsessively jealous or emotionally unstable
What is the origin of the term "bunny-boiler" and how is it used?
Bunny-boiler is a slang term that appeared in late 20th-century English, popularized by the 1987 film Fatal Attraction. It describes a woman seen as obsessively jealous, vindictive, or emotionally unstable. The term comes from a notorious scene in the film in which the character boils her lover's pet rabbit, symbolizing extreme obsession and irrational behavior. Literally, it labels someone as dangerously fixated or unstable. Historically and today, it is derogatory and gendered, used to mock or warn against perceived female emotional volatility, and remains informal and offensive, mostly in casual or critical contexts.
