harridan
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of harridan
1690–1700; perhaps alteration of French haridelle thin, worn-out horse, large, gaunt woman (compared with the initial element of haras stud farm, though derivation is unclear)
Explanation
You might call the old lady next door who yells at you to stay off her lawn a harridan. When you see the word harridan, think of the Wicked Witch of the West — a mean-tempered, sharp-tongued old woman. Calling an older, bossy woman a harridan is certainly not a compliment, although most harridans — aside from your strict old scold of an English teacher — probably won't be familiar with the somewhat obscure term. It comes from seventeenth century slang, probably stemming from the French word haridelle, or "old horse."
Vocabulary lists containing harridan
The Bluest Eye
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Oliver Twist
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A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
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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.
It was someone laying down the law — without worrying that a man would label her a virago or harridan or termagant.
From New York Times ● Dec. 7, 2019
In a similar flip, Whitfield’s character was not a sweet old granny but a sharp-tongued, sharp-practiced harridan.
From The Guardian ● Dec. 29, 2018
And there’s no denying the subversive frisson inspired by watching actresses go full harridan, especially when it comes to traditional ideas about female agency and the approving male gaze.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 15, 2018
Even now our image of Crawford is shaped by Faye Dunaway’s shrieking harridan in “Mommie Dearest” as opposed to Crawford’s Academy Award-winning work in “Mildred Pierce.”
From Salon ● Apr. 24, 2017
"They call me Mistress Semele," said the harridan.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
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.
