quean

American  

[kween] / kwin /

noun

1. Archaic. an overly forward, impudent woman; shrew; hussy.

2. Archaic. a prostitute.

3. British Dialect. Sometimes quine a girl or young woman, especially a robust one.

---

quean British  

/ kwiːn /

noun

1. archaic

   1. a boisterous, impudent, or disreputable woman

   2. a prostitute; whore

2. a young unmarried woman or girl

---

Other Word Forms

• queanish adjective
• queanlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of quean

First recorded before 1000; Middle English quene, Old English cwene; cognate with Middle Dutch quene, kone, Old Saxon, Old High German quena, Gothic qino, from unattested Germanic kwenōn-; akin to Old English cwēn “woman, queen” ( queen )

Example Sentences

“Like, we should be able to wear leggings without feeling like it’s a problem because guys will be staring at us,” student Quean Foster told a local NBC News affiliate.

From Washington Times

Deil a wig has a provost of Fairport worn sin’ auld Provost Jervie’s time—and he had a quean of a servant-lass that dressed it hersel’, wi’ the doup o’ a candle and a dredging box.

From Project Gutenberg

The Elizabethan witch, who scared her neighbours in town and village, and flourished on their combined ignorance and superstition, appears, however, in ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor,’ where Master Ford describes ‘the fat woman of Brentford’ as ‘a witch, a quean, an old cozening quean!’

From Project Gutenberg

Thinks the false quean by such a sleight, that chill my nee'le lack?

From Project Gutenberg

Then came the quean dame Chat, see now, To ask for her black cup, see now: And even here at this gate, see now, She took that nee'le up, see now: My gammer then she yede, see now, Her nee'le again to bring, see now, And was caught by the head, see now— Is not this a wondrous thing, see now?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• tramp
• whore