It's thought to be the first time the word has been recorded in the debating chamber.
The coalition this week strongly objected to a Sunday Star-Times opinion piece which used the c-word in connection to the female ministers who had overseen the pay equity shake-up.
Van Velden was given the opportunity to respond after Labour's Jan Tinetti asked her a question about the piece during Parliament's Question Time.
"I do not agree with the clearly gendered and patronising language that [national affairs editor for the Sunday Star-Times] Andrea Vance used to reduce senior Cabinet ministers to girlbosses, hype squads, references to girl math and c****
"The women of this government are hard-working, dedicated and strong. No woman in this Parliament, nor in this country, should be subjected to sex-based discrimination."
Van Velden then turned the question back on Tinetti: "It's a very curious feminist moment when a former Minister for Women repeats parts of a clearly misogynistic article in this House."
The statement was met by loud applause from the government benches.
MPs are typically forbidden from using "unbecoming" language and insults during Parliamentary debates.
Parliament's Speaker Gerry Brownlee declined to interrupt van Velden's contribution but afterwards offered advice for future.
"Let me make it as clear as I can - while the minister was giving an answer that was quoting commentary from a news article it may have been better to refrain from one word that was fully expressed."
Speaking to reporters afterwards, van Velden said she had used the explicit language to shine a light on misogyny and to stand up for women across Parliament and the country.
"We are seeing vitriol. We're seeing hatred. We're seeing misogynistic abuse directed at female members of Cabinet, and that's not okay. Enough is enough, and us women need to stand together."
Van Velden she said she was "very disappointed" that Labour had "brought misogyny into the House" by asking questions about the article.
Tinetti's question in full asked: "Does she agree with Andrea Vance, who said about the Equal Pay Amendment Bill, 'It is a curious feminist moment, isn't it? Six girlbosses - Willis, her hype-squad Judith Collins, Erica Stanford, Louise Upston, Nicola Grigg, and Brooke van Velden - all united in a historic act of economic backhanding other women'; if not, how is unilaterally stopping 33 pay equity claims not a historic act of economic backhanding other women?"
Vance's Sunday Star Times column also accused female ministers of shafting underpaid women: "Turns out you can have it all. So long as you're prepared to be a c*** to the women who birth your kids, school your offspring and wipe the arse of your elderly parents while you stand on their shoulders to earn your six-figure, taxpayer-funded pay packet."
