Female curmudgeonWord for the Wise September 21, 2006 Broadcast Topic: Female curmudgeon Call us crusty (that is, with a harsh or surly manner that may conceal an inner kindliness), but we were taken aback by the breadth and volume of responses to a listener's request for the term for a female curmudgeon.
(来源：英语学习门户 http://www.
2hzz.
com)A number of suggestions were plays on curmudgeon (which, for the record, refers to a crusty, ill-tempered, usually old man): curmudgeoness, curmudgeonette, curmudgeanne, and curmadgeon, to name a few.
Other terms might be considered name-calling: there was the B-word (in its sense meaning malicious, spiteful, and overbearing woman), as well as a number of references to particular people or members of certain political parties.
One respondent mused on the dearth of descriptive terms including a positive undercurrent: a curmudgeon may be loveable, but old biddy, old bat, battle-ax, hag, and shrew are nothing but negative.
Speaking of shrew, that term for an ill-tempered, scolding woman has plenty of company.
Its synonyms include termagant, harridan, and harpy.
One popular suggestion for a female curmudgeon was Maxine.
That heroine of the Crabby Road comic strip was created by artist John Wagner; the fictional Maxine is nothing if not ill-tempered, but despite her disposition, she comes across as lovable.
Thanks to everyone who wrote in.