shrew

¹ American  

[shroo] / ʃru /

noun

1. a woman of violent temper and speech; termagant.

   Synonyms:

   scold, nag, virago

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shrew ² American  

[shroo] / ʃru /

noun

1. any of several small, mouselike insectivores of the genus Sorex and related genera, having a long, sharp snout.

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shrew British  

/ ʃruː /

noun

1. Also called: shrewmouse.  any small mouse-like long-snouted mammal, such as Sorex araneus ( common shrew ), of the family Soricidae: order Insectivora (insectivores) See also water shrew

2. a bad-tempered or mean-spirited woman

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Other Word Forms

• shrewlike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of shrew¹

1200–50; Middle English; special use of shrew ²

Origin of shrew²

before 900; Middle English (only in compounds), Old English scrēawa

Explanation

Use the noun shrew — at your own risk — to refer to a woman who is argumentative, nagging, and ill tempered. The noun shrew can also refer to a mouse-like animal with tiny eyes, a long snout, and a sharp bite. Superstitions associated with this small mammal led people in the thirteenth century to use the word shrew to describe a spiteful person, male or female. The word later came to be used to describe a nagging, ill-tempered woman, as in William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Unless you are a famous dead author, however, you may want to steer clear of this one in conversation: it’s considered offensive.