The expression first appeared in Stewart Chaplin's short story "Stained Glass Political Platform" (published in 1900 in The Century Magazine), in which weasel words were described as "words that suck the life out of the words next to them, just as a weasel sucks the egg and leaves the shell".
Udtrykket optræder første gang i Stewart Chaplins novelle Stained Glass Political Platform (udgivet i The Century Magazine 1900), hvor de omtales som “ord der suger livet ud af ordene omkring dem, ligesom en væsel suger et æg og efterlader skallen.”