shrew
1 Americannoun
noun
noun
-
Also called: shrewmouse. any small mouse-like long-snouted mammal, such as Sorex araneus ( common shrew ), of the family Soricidae: order Insectivora (insectivores) See also water shrew
-
a bad-tempered or mean-spirited woman
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shrew1
1200–50; Middle English; special use of shrew 2
Origin of shrew2
before 900; Middle English (only in compounds), Old English scrēawa
Explanation
Use the noun shrew — at your own risk — to refer to a woman who is argumentative, nagging, and ill tempered. The noun shrew can also refer to a mouse-like animal with tiny eyes, a long snout, and a sharp bite. Superstitions associated with this small mammal led people in the thirteenth century to use the word shrew to describe a spiteful person, male or female. The word later came to be used to describe a nagging, ill-tempered woman, as in William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Unless you are a famous dead author, however, you may want to steer clear of this one in conversation: it’s considered offensive.
Vocabulary lists containing shrew
Amazing Animals, A-Z
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Amazing Animals, List 3
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Queen of the Sea
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Life moves pretty fast when your heart beats 1,200 times a minute, and the plot of “The Shrew Detective” moves briskly as Minerva and Tenacity scurry between clues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
In year six, the class was studying The Taming of Shrew, role playing and discussing why the characters might make those language choices.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2023
Among the artworks, a photo of a William Shakespeare-inspired private collection picturing burlesque artist Janet Fischietto as Katherine, protagonist of Shakespeare's comedy "The Taming of the Shrew."
From Reuters • Nov. 28, 2022
“We have been looking for the Catalina Island Shrew for years,” said conservancy wildlife biologist Emily Hamblen said in a statement.
From Washington Times • Jan. 6, 2021
At nightfall there were upwards of four hundred members of the Shrew Union seated around the campfire, breaking bread with the warrior from Redwall.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
