Xanthippe
/zænˈθɪpi/noun
A famously sharp-tongued or scolding woman; originally the name of Socrates’ wife.
Did you know?Xanthippe comes from Greek elements meaning “yellow” and “horse,” and her name became so tied to Socrates’ difficult marriage that it survived as a byword for a contentious woman.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Xanthíppē (Ξανθίππη)
“A female personal name, likely meaning “yellow horse” or “blond horse.””
Classical Greek
Greek
xanthós (ξανθός) + híppos (ἵππος)
““Yellow/blond” + “horse.””
Latin
Latin
Xanthippe
“A borrowed Greek proper name used in Roman writing and scholarship.”
Middle English
English
Xantippe
“A literary allusion to Socrates’ wife, often implying a scolding or quarrelsome woman.”
Modern English
English
Xanthippe
“A rare proper name and a historical/literary reference to a shrewish woman.”
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