termagant Hear it!

termagant definition

ter·ma·gant (tʉr′mə gənt)

noun

  1. an imaginary deity supposed by medieval Christians to be worshiped by Muslims and represented in morality plays as a boisterous, overbearing figure
  2. a boisterous, quarrelsome, scolding woman; shrew

Etymology: ME Tervagant < OFr, name of an imaginary Muslim deity prob. introduced by the Crusaders

adjective

of the nature of a termagant; quarrelsome; scolding

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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