bittern (n.)

"young ox," Old English steor "bullock," from Proto-Germanic *steuraz (source also of Old Saxon stior, Old Norse stjorr, Swedish tjur, Danish tyr, Middle Dutch, Dutch, German stier, Gothic stiur "bull"), perhaps from PIE *steu-ro-, denoting "larger domestic animal" (see Taurus). In U.S. of male beef cattle of any age.

1630s, "a woman negligent or disordered in her dress or household," a word of uncertain origin, probably related to Low German Slattje, Dutch slodder, dialectal Swedish slata "slut" (in the older, non-sexual sense; compare slut). Also compare dialectal English verb slatter "to spill or splash awkwardly, to waste," used of women or girls considered untidy or slovenly. With intrusive -n, perhaps as in bittern.