noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
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
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈskəʊ̯ld/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈskɵ̞ʊ̯ld/
Canada, General-American:/ˈskoʊ̯ld/
Canada, General-American:/ˈskɔʊ̯ld/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈskoːld/monophthongization
/ˈskö̞ːld/monophthongization
rhymes with -əʊld
CMU ARPABET:S K OW1 L D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A person who habitually scolds, in particular a troublesome and angry woman.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: Karen, social justice warrior, wokescold, AWFUL
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To rebuke angrily.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
Examples
I advise that you refrain from using that kind of language at home, lest your mother scold you.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
Of birds, to make harsh vocalisations in aggression.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, ornithology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
Of birds, to make vocalisations that resemble human scolding.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
Misconstruction of scald.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, misconstruction
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
someone (especially a woman) who annoys people by constantly finding fault
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: scolder, nag, nagger, common scold
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unpleasant person, disagreeable person
Narrower terms: harridan
7
verb
Meaning 7
censure severely or angrily
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The mother scolded the child for entering a stranger's car
The deputy ragged the Prime Minister
The customer dressed down the waiter for bringing cold soup
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: call on the carpet, take to task, rebuke, rag, trounce, reproof, lecture, reprimand, jaw, dress down, call down, chide, berate, bawl out, remonstrate, chew out, chew up, have words, lambaste, lambast
The noun is from Middle English scold(e), skald(e), first attested in the 12th or 13th century (as scold, scolde, skolde, skald). The verb is from Middle English scolden, first attested in the late 1300s. Most dictionaries derive the verb from the noun and say the noun is probably from Old Norse skald (“poet”) (cognate with Icelandic skáld (“poet, scop”)), as skalds sometimes wrote insulting poems, though another view is that the Norse and English words are cognate to each other and to Old High German skeltan (whence Modern German schelten (“to scold, chide”)), Old Dutch skeldan (whence Modern Dutch schelden (“to scold, berate”)), all inherited from Proto-Germanic *skeldaną (“scold”).
Across languages
Translations
182 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
اِمْرَأَة سَلِيطَة
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Czech:
semetrika
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Czech:
fúrie
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Czech:
megera
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Dutch:
viswijf
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Dutch:
helleveeg
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Dutch:
kreng
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Finnish:
kääkkä
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
French:
chipie
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
French:
furie
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
French:
mégère
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
German:
Beißzange
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
German:
Xanthippe
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Greek:
μέγαιρα
(mégaira)
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Greek:
στρίγγλα
(stríngla)
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Irish:
agóid
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Italian:
bisbetica
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Italian:
brontolona
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Italian:
megera
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Italian:
linguaccia
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Italian:
linguacciuta
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Portuguese:
megera
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Russian:
сварли́вая же́нщина
(svarlívaja žénščina)
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Russian:
меге́ра
(megéra)
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
Swedish:
argbigga
— person who scolds, particularly a woman
