# shrew

/ʃɹˈuː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/shrew
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the animal

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small animal that looks like a mouse but has a longer, pointed nose and eats insects.

For teachers: any of numerous small, mouselike, chiefly nocturnal mammals of the family Soricidae, characterized by a long pointed snout and small eyes.

- The garden shrew is tiny and moves very quickly through the grass.
- Unlike rodents, the shrew has a high metabolic rate and must consume nearly its own body weight in insects every day to survive.

Usage: Countable noun.

### 2. a nagging woman

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

an old-fashioned and mean word for a woman who is always complaining or arguing.

For teachers: a derogatory term for an ill-tempered, nagging, or aggressive woman. Often encountered in historical literature.

- In the old play, the main character is described as a shrew who refuses to marry.
- Shakespeare's 'The Taming of the Shrew' explores the social dynamics of a headstrong woman whose behavior is deemed unacceptable by her peers.

Teaching tip: This sense is considered offensive and sexist in modern English; it is best avoided except when discussing historical literature.

## Examples

- The shrew is one of the smallest mammals in the world.
- While hiking through the dense underbrush, the naturalist spotted a tiny shrew darting between the roots.
- The poet used the image of a shrew to represent the protagonist's mother, capturing the character's sharp wit and difficult personality through a metaphor that feels dated to modern readers.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.