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.

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quean British  

/ kwiːn /

noun

1. archaic

   1. a boisterous, impudent, or disreputable woman

   2. a prostitute; whore

2. a young unmarried woman or girl

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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” ( see queen)

Example Sentences

The said wardens, both carle and quean, were goodly folk of middle age, stalwart, and kind of face.

From The Well at the World's End: a tale by Morris, William

For the bride was a stout household quean; her face painted with vermilion, and her person arrayed in uncouth embroidered garments. 

From The Life of Lord Byron by Galt, John

A plaguy, crafty quean, marry a God, I see Prince John courted as well as I; And since he shall be mock'd as well as I, It's some contentment.

From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 7 by Various

And this mad quean, after cracking like a pen-gun, and skirling like a pea-hen for the haill night, behoves just to hae hadden her tongue when her clavers might have dune some gude!

From The Heart of Mid-Lothian, Volume 1 by Scott, Walter, Sir

"May be he is her coosin; but coosins are nae that sib that a weedow is to be hailed aboot jist ane as though she were ony quean at a fair."

From The Eustace Diamonds by Trollope, Anthony

Related Words

• tramp
• whore