battleaxe
battleaxe Lexical Profile
battleaxe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A large, heavy axe with a broad blade, used historically as a weapon of war in close combat.
"The museum exhibit featured a medieval iron battleaxe alongside thirteenth-century chainmail."
An aggressive, domineering, and bad-tempered older woman (used as a derogatory or humorous slang term).
"The new interns were terrified of the office manager, whom everyone secretly described as a real battleaxe."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to a person, 'battleaxe' is an informal, derogatory term almost exclusively applied to an older, domineering woman. In American English, it is frequently spelled as an open or hyphenated compound ('battle ax' or 'battle-ax').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as a compound of 'battle' (from Old French 'bataille') and 'axe' (from Old English 'æx'). The figurative slang sense describing a fierce, domineering woman emerged in American English in the late 19th century.