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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
: 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.