quean

Meaning

Noun

• A woman, now especially an impudent or disreputable woman; a prostitute.
• A young woman, a girl; a daughter.

Origin

• From Middle English quene ("young, robust woman"), from Old English cwene ("woman, female serf"), from Proto-Germanic *kwenǭ ("woman"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷḗn ("woman"). Cognate with Dutch kween ("a barren woman, a barren cow"), Low German quene ("barren cow, heifer"), German Kon ("wife"), Swedish kvinna ("woman"), Icelandic kona ("woman"), Gothic 𐌵𐌹𐌽𐍉, 𐌵𐌴𐌽𐍃. More at queen.