Wonkette

If you love edumacation, then you’ll love today’s crazy new word, malkin. But what does it mean? Nobody really knows, so these are the current official definitions:

1. An untidy woman; a slattern.
2. A scarecrow or a grotesque effigy.
3. A mop made of a bundle or rags fastened to a stick.
4. A cat.
5. A hare.
[From Middle English Malkyn (little Molly), diminutive of the name Maud or Molly/Mary.]
A related word is grimalkin, referring to an old female cat or an ill-tempered old woman.

Learning is fun! Here’s what we had to say about the beloved word way back in September:

Speaking of highbrow white anglo culture, Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Coriolanus features a “Malkin” — you know, a Kitchen Slut!

A Word A Day [Wordsmith]