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crone

crone

12 9.5
An old woman in stories who is often seen as ugly and frightening
  • noun
  • /kroʊn/
  • Offensive
translation icon : anciana (despectivo)
  • You should see the crones coming through here lately.
  • an old crone

Examples

  • Well, she's not exactly an aged crone, you know.

  • The three crones standing in the door arguing could have played the witches in Macbeth.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • An old crone, a little girl and an insurance man.

  • And remember in order to get the flowers Grace promised the Crone that she would owe her a favor.

  • What's with the old crone?

  • "I am old, have no children, and verily I am married to a crone."

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Some wanderers took human shape, often as mysterious crones, but many were invisible, and all were dangerous.

    Academic text (2012)
  • To reveal a shriveled old crone, covered in cobwebs, who bears an unsettling resemblance to Faith.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • And then she replies—mimicking an old crone—"Why, your excellence, no curse at all."

    Academic text (1997)
  • In fairy tales, the crone often appears as a wise but unappealing woman with magical powers.

Synonyms

witch
vscrone
790 4.1

A woman believed to have magical powers in stories

is specifically an old often ugly or wise woman rather than any age

Antonyms

519 1.0

A female person in her teens or twenties

How Old

crone
  • Offensive
12 9.5
woman
1.0
young woman
519 1.0
girl
1.0

Surface Forms

crone singular
crones plural

Etymology

Crone comes from old French and Middle English words for an unpleasant or old woman and may be linked to a word for 'dead flesh', which gave it a harsh, negative feel. That's why a crone in stories is often an ugly or witch-like old woman.