harridan

WOTD - 6 August 2010    

English

Etymology

Perhaps a modification of French haridelle (“old horse, nag”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈhæɹ.ɪ.dən/
• (US) IPA: /ˈhɛɹ.ɪ.dən/, /ˈhæɹ.ɪ.dən/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

harridan (plural harridans)

1. A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older one.

Synonyms

• (vicious and scolding woman): shrew, virago

Translations

vicious and scolding woman

Armenian: ջադու (hy) (ǰadu), վհուկ (hy) (vhuk) Chinese: Mandarin: 老太婆 (zh) (lǎotàipó) Finnish: äkäpussi (fi) French: harpie (fr), dragon (fr), virago (fr), haridelle (fr), mégère (fr), xanthippe (fr), casse-couilles (fr)

German: Drache (de) m. (alter Drachen (de) m.), Xanthippe (de) f. Hungarian: banya (hu) Russian: ведьма (ru) (véd’ma) f. Spanish: vieja gruñona f., arpía f.

See also

• harpy