mégère

See also: megere

French

Etymology

After Mégère (“Megaera”), deity of vengeance. Compare Portuguese and Italian megera.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /me.ʒɛʁ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

mégère f (plural mégères)

1. (derogatory) shrew, vixen (ill-tempered woman)
   • 2015 January, Virginie Despentes, Vernon Subutex, volume 1, Éditions Grasset, →ISBN, page 17; republished as Frank Wynne, transl., 2018:

     Elle a fait des enfants, bien sûr. C’était ce genre de filles. Qui se rangent. Sans rien perdre de leur charme. Pas une mégère.

     She had kids, obviously. She was that kind of girl. The kind who settles down. Without losing any of their charm. Not a bitch.

2. wall brown

Further reading

• “mégère”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.