harridan
- 3 dictionary results
har·ri·dan
   /ˈhÉ'rɪdn/ Show Spelled[hahr-i-dn] Show IPA
â€"noun
a scolding, vicious woman; hag; shrew.
Origin:
1690â€"1700; perh. alter of F haridelle thin, worn-out horse, large, gaunt woman (compared with the initial element of haras stud farm, though derivation is unclear)
Dictionary.com Unabridged

Word Origin & History

harridan
1700, "one that is half Whore, half Bawd" ["Dictionary of the Canting Crew"]; "a decayed strumpet" [Johnson], from Fr. haridelle "a poore tit, or leane ill-favored jade," [Cotgrave, 1611], in Fr. from 16c., of unknown origin.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
har·ri·dan   (hÄ쳌r'Ä­-dn)   
n. A woman regarded as scolding and vicious.

[Possibly from French haridelle, gaunt woman, old horse, nag.]