A suffragette was a woman who campaigned for women's right to vote, especially in Britain in the years around 1903-1918. The word points at a particular kind of campaigner: the militant ones. Suffragettes chained themselves to railings, smashed windows, went to prison, refused food in prison and were force-fed. Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters led the most famous group.

A suffragette was a woman who campaigned for women's right to vote一個suffragette是為女性投票權奔走的女性, especially in Britain in the years around 1903-1918尤其是1903到1918年前後在英國。The word points at a particular kind of campaigner這個字指的是特定一類的運動者: the militant ones也就是比較激進的那一派。Suffragettes chained themselves to railings, smashed windows, went to prison, refused food in prison and were force-fedSuffragettes會把自己鎖在欄杆上、砸窗戶、進監獄、在獄中絕食，甚至被強迫灌食。Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters led the most famous groupEmmeline Pankhurst和她的女兒們領導了最有名的那個團體。

Here is the part most people miss. The word began as an insult. A London newspaper, the Daily Mail, made it in 1906 by sticking '-ette' — the ending that means small or lesser, as in kitchenette — onto 'suffrage', to make these women sound like silly little girls. The women then took the name and used it proudly, which is why it survives as a word of honour today.

Here is the part most people miss這是大多數人沒注意到的地方。The word began as an insult這個字一開始其實是個侮辱。A London newspaper, the Daily Mail倫敦的一家報紙Daily Mail, made it in 1906在1906年造出了這個字 by sticking '-ette'方法是在'suffrage'（參政權）後面加上'-ette' — the ending that means small or lesser, as in kitchenette這個字尾表示「小、次一等」，就像kitchenette（小廚房）一樣 — onto 'suffrage'加在'suffrage'後面, to make these women sound like silly little girls好讓這些女性聽起來像不懂事的小女生。The women then took the name and used it proudly後來這些女性反而大方接下這個名字並以此自豪, which is why it survives as a word of honour today這也是為什麼它今天變成一個帶著榮譽感的字。

It is also worth knowing that not all campaigners were suffragettes. The larger, older, law-abiding groups called themselves suffragists, and many of them disliked the window-smashing. In the US, 'suffragist' is the usual word and 'suffragette' is less used. So the two words split along the line of tactics, and along the Atlantic.

It is also worth knowing that not all campaigners were suffragettes還有一點值得知道：不是所有運動者都是suffragettes。The larger, older, law-abiding groups called themselves suffragists規模更大、更資深、守法的那些團體自稱是suffragists, and many of them disliked the window-smashing而且他們很多人並不認同砸窗戶那一套。In the US, 'suffragist' is the usual word在美國，'suffragist'才是常用的說法 and 'suffragette' is less used'suffragette'反而比較少用。So the two words split along the line of tactics, and along the Atlantic所以這兩個字的分野，一邊是手段的不同，一邊是大西洋兩岸的差異。