kärring
Swedish
Alternative forms
- käring (less common)
Etymology
From Old Swedish kärling, from Old Norse kerling. Equivalent to karl + -ing.
Noun
kärring c
- (disagreeable) old woman
- (derogatory or endearing) wife
- cowardly (male) person
Usage notes
Sometimes more older than old. A (disagreeable) older woman still of working age might be a "kärring på jobbet."
Declension
| nominative | genitive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | indefinite | kärring | kärrings |
| definite | kärringen | kärringens | |
| plural | indefinite | kärringar | kärringars |
| definite | kärringarna | kärringarnas |
Derived terms
- kärringkånk
- påskkärring
- skurkärring
References
- käring in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)