Slattern
/ˈslætərn/noun
A woman regarded as habitually untidy, dirty, or careless in dress or housekeeping.
Did you know?The word’s ancestry is uncertain, but it belongs to a cluster of Germanic expressions for spilling, slopping, looseness, and disorder rather than anything inherently supernatural.
Etymological Timeline
Late Middle English
English
slatteren
“To waste, squander, or spill; a verb associated with careless handling.”
Late Middle English
English
slatter
“To waste or behave carelessly; probably from a Germanic expressive word-family.”
16th Century
English
slattern
“A slovenly or dirty woman; the suffix helped form a personal noun from the idea of disorder.”
17th Century
English
slattern
“A woman habitually untidy in appearance or domestic habits.”
Modern English
English
slattern
“A strongly derogatory term for an untidy or careless woman.”