hag

1 of 3

noun (1)

ˈhag How to pronounce hag (audio)
Synonyms of hagnext
1
: an ugly, slatternly, or evil-looking old woman
2
archaic
a
: a female demon
b
: an evil or frightening spirit : hobgoblin
3
: witch
haggish
ˈha-gish How to pronounce hag (audio)
adjective

hag

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
British : quagmire, bog
2
British : a firm spot in a bog

Hag

3 of 3

abbreviation

Haggai

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of hag in a Sentence

Noun (1) although she looks like a hag, she's really the sweetest old lady you could ever hope to meet falsely accused of being a hag who had caused the plague
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Several get small charts offering ideas to inspire how the monster could be used, such as what strange price a hag might have for its secrets or what an owlbear might keep in its den beyond treasure. — Rob Wieland, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English hagge demon, old woman

Noun (2)

Scots, break in a moor, from Old Norse hǫgg cut, cleft; akin to Old English hēawan to hew

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun (2)

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hag was in the 13th century

Rhymes for hag

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Browse Nearby Words

haftarah
hag
Hag
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Cite this Entry

“Hag.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hag. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

hag

noun
ˈhag
1
: an ugly or evil old woman
2
: witch sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on hag

Nglish: Translation of hag for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hag

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