■ noun
1》 the female ruler of an independent state, especially one who inherits the position by right of birth.
↘(also ~ consort ) a king's wife.
↘a woman or girl holding the most important position in a festival or event.
2》 a woman or thing regarded as the finest or most important in its sphere or group.
3》 informal a man's wife or girlfriend.
4》 the most powerful chess piece, able to move in any direction.
5》 a playing card bearing a representation of a ~, ranking next below a king.
6》 Entomology a reproductive female in a colony of ants, bees, wasps, or termites.
7》 an adult female cat that has not been spayed.
8》 informal a flamboyantly effeminate male homosexual.
■ verb
1》 ( ~ it ) (of a woman) act in an unpleasantly superior way.
2》 Chess convert (a pawn) into a ~ when it reaches the opponent's end of the board.
Derivatives
~dom noun
~-like adjective
~liness noun
~ly adjective
~ship noun
Origin
OE cwēn , of Gmc origin; related to quean .