noun
Meaning 1
A cat, especially an elderly female.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
grimalkin
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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Received-Pronunciation, US: /ɡɹɪˈmæl.kɪn/
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Received-Pronunciation, US: /ɡɹɪˈmɔːl.kɪn/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
noun
Meaning 2
A bad-tempered old woman; a crone.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: old woman, babushka, bag, bat, beldame, biddy, bluehair, bubbe, carline, carlin, crone, gammer, geezer, gogo, grandam, granny, grimalkin, hag, maum, old lady, old maid, prune, spinster, tabby, trot, trout, witch
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From grey + malkin; literally "grey-haired cat" or "grey-haired woman".
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: стара котка (stara kotka) — cat
- Bulgarian: зла старица (zla starica) — old woman — see also crone
- Bulgarian: вещица (veštica) — old woman — see also crone
- Dutch: feeks — old woman — see also crone
- Spanish: bruja — old woman — see also crone
Real reading context