Karen

Meanings

1. A female given name from Ancient Greek.

1. A middle-aged white woman who exhibits a strong sense of white privilege and entitlement—often rooted in racism against minority races—and frequently targets or antagonizes individuals who face greater societal challenges or must work significantly harder than she.
2. Any person, especially female, exhibiting an exaggerated sense of entitlement.

1. One of the seven great Parthian feudal families.
2. A transliteration of the Armenian male given name Կարեն (Karen).

1. A member of a diverse ethnic group originating in Myanmar and Thailand.

1. A group of Sino-Tibetan languages spoken by people of the Karen ethnic group, also called Karenic.
2. Former name of Kayin (“state (administrative division) of Myanmar”).

1. Alternative letter-case form of Karen (“(derogatory) any person, especially female, exhibiting an exaggerated sense of entitlement”).

Etymology

From Danish Karen, a vernacular form of Catherine that arose in medieval Denmark. The sense "middle-aged woman" comes from the popularity of the name among baby boomers and Gen-Xers. The derogatory usage was popularized via African-American Vernacular English.