Definition of shrew
1 : any of a family (Soricidae) of small chiefly nocturnal insectivores related to the moles and distinguished by a long pointed snout, very small eyes, and short velvety fur
2 : an ill-tempered scolding woman
From the M-W Editors
Examples of shrew in a Sentence
Rip Van Winkle went off into the mountains to escape his wife, a shrew who made his life miserable.
Origin and Etymology of shrew
Middle English shrewe evil or scolding person, from Old English scrēawa shrew (animal)
First Known Use of shrew
14th century
SHREW Defined for English Language Learners
shrew
playDefinition of shrew for English Language Learners
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: a small animal that looks like a mouse with a long, pointed nose
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: an unpleasant, bad-tempered woman
SHREW Defined for Kids
shrew
playDefinition of shrew for Students
1 : a small mouselike animal with a long pointed snout and tiny eyes that lives mostly on insects and worms
2 : an unpleasant woman with a bad temper
Learn More about shrew
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See words that rhyme with shrew Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shrew Spanish Central: Translation of shrew Nglish: Translation of shrew for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of shrew for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shrew
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