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termagant

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noun ter·ma·gant \ˈtər-mə-gənt\

Definition of termagant

  1. 1 capitalized :  a deity erroneously ascribed to Islam by medieval European Christians and represented in early English drama as a violent character

  2. 2 :  an overbearing or nagging woman :  shrew

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Origin and Etymology of termagant

Middle English

termagant Synonyms

Synonyms
battle-ax (or battle-axe), dragon lady, fury, harpy, harridan, shrew, virago, vixen
Related Words
fishwife, gorgon; carper, castigator, caviler (or caviller), censurer, critic, faultfinder, nitpicker, railer, scold; belittler, derider, detractor; pettifogger, quibbler

Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody

2

termagant

adjective ter·ma·gant

Definition of termagant

  1. :  overbearing, shrewish

First Known Use of termagant

circa 1598

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  1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for termagant

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