BELDAME

beldam, beldame

(noun) a woman of advanced age

hag, beldam, beldame, witch, crone

(noun) an ugly evil-looking old woman

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

beldame (plural beldames)

(obsolete) A grandmother.

(now archaic) An old woman, particularly an ugly one.

Synonyms

• (ugly woman): crone, hag, harridan

• See also ugly person

Anagrams

• embaled

Source: Wiktionary

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Bel"dam Bel"dame, n. Etym: [Pref. bel-, denoting relationship + dame mother: cf. F. belledame fair lady, It. belladonna. See Belle, and Dame.]

1. Grandmother; -- corresponding to belsire. To show the beldam daughters of her daughter. Shak.

2. An old woman in general; especially, an ugly old woman; a hag. Around the beldam all erect they hang. Akenside.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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