shrew
shrew Lexical Profile
shrew Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, predominantly insectivorous mammal of the family Soricidae, resembling a mouse but typically possessing a long pointed snout, tiny eyes, and dense fur, found in various terrestrial habitats globally except Australia and Antarctica.
"The common shrew forages continuously in the dense forest undergrowth to maintain its exceptionally high metabolic rate."
A bad-tempered, aggressively assertive, or sharply critical woman.
"In classical literature, the protagonist frequently finds himself trapped in a turbulent marriage to an outspoken shrew."
Word Nuance & Usage
When applied to a person, 'shrew' is a dated, highly derogatory term exclusively directed at women, carrying strong sexist undertones; its modern recognition stems largely from Shakespeare's play 'The Taming of the Shrew'.
• Rhymes for shrew
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'scrēawa', referring to the small mammal. Its use as a derogatory term for a person dates to the 13th century, rooted in the medieval folklore that the animal was malign and had a venomous bite.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.