شختوره (Shakhtoora)

/ʃæxˈtuː.ɾɑ/insult

What does شختوره (Shakhtoora) mean? شختوره (Shakhtoora) is a Arabic moderate that translates to “old hag / ugly woman / jalopy (for a woman)” in English.

old boat / barge (Lebanese slang)

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"old hag / ugly woman / jalopy (for a woman)"

Literally an old, battered boat — Lebanese slang for an unattractive, run-down looking woman. The marine metaphor is quintessentially Beiruti: a shakhtoora is a woman who's let herself go, who looks worn out, who's past her prime. It's cruel body-shaming wrapped in nautical imagery, and it's one of those insults that sounds almost affectionate because of how ridiculous it is.

شو هالشختورة هاي، والله ما بتنعرف! (Shou hal shakhtoora hay, wallah ma btn'aref! - What a boat this one is, God I can't even recognize her!) — Cruel gossip about someone's appearance.