quean Meaning & Definition
/kwiːn/
What Does Quean Mean?
As a noun, quean means A woman, now especially an impudent or disreputable woman; a prostitute. It can also mean A young woman, a girl; a daughter.
Quean in Brief
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /kwiːn/ |
| Plural | queans |
Quean Definition (Noun)
- A woman, now especially an impudent or disreputable woman; a prostitute.
- A young woman, a girl; a daughter.
Synonyms of Quean
The source does not list synonyms for this entry.
Quean synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
quean (plural queans)
Words That Rhyme With Quean
Origin of Quean
Origin 1: From Middle English quene (“young, robust woman”), from Old English cwene (“woman, female serf”), from Proto-West Germanic *kwenā, from Proto-Germanic *kwenǭ (“woman”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn (“woman”). Doublet of gyne and queen.
Origin 2: Cognate with Dutch kween (“a barren woman, a barren cow”), Low German quene (“barren cow, heifer”), German Kone (“wife”), Swedish kvinna (“woman”), Icelandic kona (“woman”), Gothic 𐌵𐌹𐌽𐍉 (qinō, “woman”), 𐌵𐌴𐌽𐍃 (qēns, “wife”).