vixen
vixen — noun
- vixensingular
- vixensplural
1. an adult female fox
an adult female fox
Talia spotted a vixen digging a den under the old oak tree near the garden.
collocation: vixen + dig a den
Emre watched a vixen leap across the frozen stream with a rabbit in her mouth.
collocation: vixen + leap across
The vixen's fur grew thick and reddish-brown after the long winter months.
Jisoo found paw prints near the chicken coop and guessed a vixen had passed by.
2. an offensive name for a woman whom people consider fierce, spiteful, or quick to
an offensive name for a woman whom people consider fierce, spiteful, or quick to anger
The newspaper columnist called the mayor's spokesperson a nasty vixen in a recent article.
pejorative: used as an insult in media
Lucía refused to work with Quinn, calling her a jealous vixen at the office.
collocation: jealous vixen
The TV drama features a scheming vixen who steals the main character's boyfriend.
Nia felt hurt when classmates spread rumors and called her a vixen at school.
用法筆記
This sense is **highly offensive and pejorative**. Calling a woman a vixen is a strong insult that suggests she is bad-tempered, aggressive, and malicious. The word can also carry undertones of sexual attractiveness (because the fox is associated with cunning and seductiveness in folklore), which makes it doubly insulting — it combines a negative judgment of a woman's character with a dismissive sexual label. Avoid using this word. It is considered old-fashioned by many speakers but can still cause serious offense.