“I Swear On My Plums…”

Here’s where the confusion may have begun: the word testicle apparently, comes from the Latin testiculus, a diminutive of testis. If testis meaning ‘witness’ and testis meaning ‘testicle’ are indeed the same word, then the etymology could be that the testicles are ‘witness’ or evidence of ‘manliness.’ (Only the extremely macho would turn their anatomy into “witnesses” of their own manly magnificence–or diminutiveness as the case may be–but that’s another post).

I’ve also read that the origin of this swearing on the fruit of your loins thing came from the ancient Hebrews. Some site Genesis 24 where “Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, ‘Please put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord…”