What does William Shakespeare mean by cot-quean?

Answer 1

The word "cot" is our word "cottage" and the word "quean" is from the same root as our word "queen". Both "quean" and "queen" are from a root source that just meant "a woman" (the same source as the Greek "gynae"), but whereas the woman spelt "queen" rose to heights of power and authority, the one spelt "quean" descended to become a brash, scolding housewife or street vendor.

Shakespeare only uses this word once, in Romeo and Juliet, and here the "cottage woman" is a man who is acting like a housewife, in this case Capulet, who is rushing around making all the wedding arrangements himself.

A cot quean is an effeminate man, or someone who does "woman's work" - housework.

Answer 2

It is an insulting slur toward a woman, or an offensive suggestion that a man is not masculine. see link below.

Answer 3

This word, used only once in Romeo and Juliet, means a man who likes to do women's work.