“Such a nasty woman.”

Nearing the end of a campaign of disparagement, Donald J. Trump coined a classic in the annals of insults against powerful women.

Mr. Trump’s remark — which he directed at Hillary Clinton during the third presidential debate Wednesday as she talked about a particularly nasty topic, Social Security — had all the makings of a feminist meme. It came across as impulsive and petulant, with sexist undertones, even if it lacked the sophistication of certain predecessors:

She has “the lips of Marilyn Monroe, the eyes of Caligula.” — the former French president François Mitterrand, about Margaret Thatcher

Insults are, of course, an inextricable part of politics, and not only directed at women by men. Mr. Trump has weathered his fair share this election (Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois said on Twitter this month: “DJT is a malignant clown.”) Some of the most memorable came from women: Dorothy Parker, upon hearing that Calvin Coolidge had died, reportedly said, “How can they tell?” Barbara Bush, during the 1984 Reagan-Bush campaign against Walter Mondale, described Geraldine Ferraro, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, as an “I can’t say it, but it rhymes with rich.” Mrs. Bush later apologized and claimed the word she was looking for was “witch.”