Trump under fire for sexism after vulgar Clinton jibes

Republican frontrunner Donald Trump found himself accused of sexism again today after he coined a vulgar new term of abuse while attacking rival Hillary Clinton.

Whipping up a raucous crowd of supporters in Michigan on last night, Trump's scorn for his democratic rival took a sexually graphic and personal turn.

Recalling the 2008 presidential race, in which Hillary lost out to Barack Obama in the battle for the Democratic nomination, Trump appeared to reach for a Yiddish term.

"She was favoured to win and she got schlonged. She lost, I mean she lost," he said.

Then, with the partisan crowd cheering him on, he turned to an incident on Saturday when Clinton returned late to a televised debate after a bathroom break.

Trump's personal attacks on women also extended to his rival for the Republican nomination, Carly Fiorina, of whom he declared: "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that?"

His latest outburst drew predictable anger. Liberal site Think Progress dubbed it an "astonishingly sexist attack" and Slate magazine called it "jaw-dropping" sexism.

Clinton's team urged supporters to make their voices heard and to denounce Trump and his belittling remarks.

"We are not responding to Trump but everyone who understands the humiliation this degrading language inflicts on all women should," campaign communications director Jennifer Palmieri said on Twitter.

Trump, a reality television star turned White House candidate, has ridden out all the fury directed his way after previous outbursts.

Polls show the 69-year-old New Yorker remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.