hag

¹

[hag]

noun

1. an ugly old woman, especially a vicious or malicious one.

   Synonyms: shrew, virago, harridan, harpy

2. a witch or sorceress.

3. a hagfish.

hag

²

[hag, hahg]

noun

British Dialect.

1. bog; quagmire.

2. a firm spot or island of firm ground in a bog or marsh.

Hag.

³

abbreviation

Bible.

1. Haggai.

hag

¹

/ hæɡ /

noun

1. an unpleasant or ugly old woman

2. a witch

3. short for hagfish

4. obsolete,  a female demon

hag

²

/ hɑːɡ, hæɡ /

noun

1. a firm spot in a bog

2. a soft place in a moor

Hag.

³

abbreviation

1. Haggai

Other Word Forms

• haggishly adverb
• haggish adjective
• haglike adjective
• haggishness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hag¹

1175–1225; Middle English hagge, Old English *hægge, akin to hægtesse witch, hagorūn spell, German Hexe witch

Origin of hag²

1250–1300; Middle English: chasm < Old Norse hǫgg a cut, ravine

Word History and Origins

Origin of hag¹

Old English hægtesse witch; related to Old High German hagazussa, Middle Dutch haghetisse

Origin of hag²

C13: of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse högg gap; see _hew

Example Sentences

Francis, his earlier tenderness forgotten, saw her as “the old yellow hag who plots destruction and brings about the downfall of the world.”

From Salon

But the admiring, even celebratory, tone of these paeans to hot actresses remaining hot well past Hollywood’s traditional expiration date masks the shadow side of this phenomenon: The wizened, terrifying hag.

From Salon

No matter how much the film insists she’s a hag, we know — and Moore knows we know — that she could do more squats than any of us in the audience.

From Los Angeles Times

Would ten hag benefit from a solid season not answering to critics every single game?

From BBC

Another reason why she refrains from taking off her makeup before bed is for her longtime husband Carl Dean: “I don't want to go to bed looking like a hag with Carl,” she said.

From Salon

When To Use

What does hag mean?

Historically, a hag is an old, ugly woman with evil powers. Much like witches, crones, and banshees, hag has become a sexist insult degrading women.Content warning: this article contains references to sexist and homophobic language.