An old woman, especially an ugly one; a hag; originally a respectful term for a grandmother.
From French 'belle dame' (beautiful lady) — yes, it ORIGINALLY meant beautiful! Over centuries it rotated 180 degrees from compliment to insult. English's cruelest word evolution.
This word for 'ugly old woman' ORIGINALLY meant 'BEAUTIFUL LADY!' French 'belle dame' became English 'beldame' and somehow flipped from compliment to insult over centuries! Words can be cruel time-travelers! 😢📅
From Old French 'belle dame' (beautiful lady); historically inverted to mock elderly women or unmarried mothers, embedding ageism and gendered insult into a single term.
Avoid entirely in modern usage. If discussing historical literature, use neutral descriptor + context (e.g., 'elderly woman character in [work]').
["elderly woman","older woman","woman elder"]
Reclaim by noting women's agency and wisdom in aging; historical texts using 'beldame' often erased women's actual power and autonomy.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.