alte Schachtel

16th century, from Schachtel (literally “box”) in the obsolete vulgar sense “vulva, vagina”; compare Dose, English box.

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alte Schachtel f (definite nominative die alte Schachtel, genitive alter Schachtel, definite genitive der alten Schachtel, plural alte Schachteln, definite plural die alten Schachteln)

1. (derogatory) old hag (old woman)

• The phrase, though derogatory, is now usually not regarded as vulgar as the origin is no longer widely known.