Shrewish
/ˈʃruː.ɪʃ/noun
Bad-tempered, scolding, or nagging, especially in a way stereotypically associated with a woman.
Did you know?In Middle English, a shrew was not just a cranky person—it was also the name of a supposed vicious, harmful creature, and that old fear helped shape the insult.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*skruwō / *skrīwan?
“Likely a base associated with shrill, harsh behavior; the exact prehistory is uncertain.”
Old English
OE
scrēawa
“A shrew, the small insect-eating mammal.”
Middle English
ME
shrew
“A wicked or vexatious person; also the animal.”
14th Century
English
shrewish
“Having the qualities of a shrew: peevish, scolding, ill-tempered.”
Modern English
English
shrewish
“Bad-tempered, nagging, or scolding.”