termagant

1 of 2

noun

ter·​ma·​gant ˈtər-mə-gənt 

1

Termagant : a deity erroneously ascribed to Islam by medieval European Christians and represented in early English drama as a violent character

2

: an overbearing or nagging woman : shrew

termagant

2 of 2

adjective

: overbearing, shrewish

Synonyms of termagant

Noun

• shrew

Examples of termagant in a Sentence

Noun

when she finally met her grandmother, she couldn't believe the sweet old lady was the same woman she'd heard all her life described as a termagant

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Rather than returning to a patient Penelope, Rip has fled the termagant Dame Van Winkle. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025

But the film belongs to Moreno, clearly relishing the chance to play an unapologetic termagant. — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2022

Rita may be a bossy termagant, but her adoring Beppe appears to love being whacked around from time to time, so what’s the harm? — John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 15 Apr. 2018

Adjective

Rather than returning to a patient Penelope, Rip has fled the termagant Dame Van Winkle. — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1546, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

termagant

1 of 2 noun

ter·​ma·​gant ˈtər-mə-gənt 

: a nagging woman

termagant

2 of 2 adjective

: noisily nagging