fishwife
/'fiʃwaif/
Definition
- Noun:
- A woman who sells fish: Historically, this term refers to a woman whose occupation is selling fish, typically at a market.
- A coarse, loud, or ill-tempered woman: By extension, the term is used as a pejorative to describe a woman perceived as vulgar, loud, and abusive in her speech.
Examples of Usage
- Noun (Literal Occupation):
- The fishwife at the harbor market had the freshest catch of the day.
- Noun (Pejorative):
- He complained that his neighbor shouted like a fishwife every morning.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in historical or literary contexts to evoke a specific image of a working-class market vendor.
- Its use as an insult is now considered archaic and highly offensive, reflecting outdated stereotypes about women's behavior and social class.
Variants and Related Words
- Fishmonger (n): A person, regardless of gender, who sells fish. This is the standard, neutral term for the occupation.
- We bought salmon from the local fishmonger.
Synonyms
- Shrew (n, pejorative): A woman perceived as nagging or bad-tempered.
- Termagant (n, pejorative, archaic): A harsh-tempered or overbearing woman.
- Virago (n, pejorative): A domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman.
Idioms and Phrases
- To swear like a fishwife: To use profane or coarse language loudly and freely.
- After hitting his thumb with the hammer, he swore like a fishwife.
Noun
-
someone who sells fish
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