beldame
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From late Middle English (1400-1450) bel (fine) + dam (mother).
[edit] Noun
beldame (plural beldames)
- (dated) An old woman, particularly an ugly one.
- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
- ... have a curiosity to hear my fortune told: therefore, Sam, order the beldame forward.
- Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre
- (obsolete) grandmother.
[edit] Synonyms
- crone
- hag
- harridan
- See also Wikisaurus:ugly person
[edit] References
- “beldame” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
