carline

or car·lin

[ kahr-lin, ker- ]

noun

, Chiefly Scot.

1. an old woman.
2. a hag; witch.

carline

¹

/ ˈkɑːlɪn /

noun

1. an old woman, hag, or witch
2. See carling
   a variant of carling

carline

²

/ ˈkɑːlɪn /

noun

1. a Eurasian thistle-like plant, Carlina vulgaris, having spiny leaves and flower heads surrounded by raylike whitish bracts: family Asteraceae (composites) Also calledcarline thistle

Word History and Origins

Origin of carline¹

1350–1400; Middle English (north) kerling < Old Norse: old woman, equivalent to kerl (mutated variant of karl man) + -ing -ing ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of carline¹

C14: from Old Norse kerling old woman, diminutive of karl man, churl

Origin of carline²

C16: from French, probably from Latin cardō thistle

Example Sentences

Now the carline bade us get ashore, and we did so, and found the land wondrous fair, little as that solaced us then.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a carline at Bergthorsknoll, whose name was Saevuna.

From Project Gutenberg

Then the carline rose, and her eyes were strange, as if they saw beyond that upon which she looked.

From Project Gutenberg

They hadna been a week from her, A week but barely ane, Whan word came to the carline wife That her three sons were gane.

From Project Gutenberg

She's a fine fusher, Leddy Carline: faith, she may weel be, for I taucht her mysel'.

From Project Gutenberg