wench

[ wench ]
See synonyms for wench on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a country lass or working girl: The milkmaid was a healthy wench.

  2. Usually Facetious. a girl or young woman.

  1. Archaic. a strumpet.

verb (used without object)
  1. to associate, especially habitually, with promiscuous women.

Origin of wench

1
1250–1300; Middle English, back formation from wenchel,Old English wencel child, akin to wancol tottering, said of a child learning to walk; akin to German wankeln to totter

Other words from wench

  • wencher, noun

Words that may be confused with wench

Words Nearby wench

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use wench in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wench

wench

/ (wɛntʃ) /


noun
  1. a girl or young woman, esp a buxom or lively one: now used facetiously

  2. archaic a female servant

  1. archaic a prostitute

verb(intr)
  1. archaic to frequent the company of prostitutes

Origin of wench

1
Old English wencel child, from wancol weak; related to Old High German wanchal, wankōn

Derived forms of wench

  • wencher, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012