Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Termagant
Ter′ma-gant
,Noun.
[OE.
Trivigant
, Termagant
, Termagant (in sense 1), OF. Tervagan
; cf. It. Trivigante
.] 1.
An imaginary being supposed by the Christians to be a Moslem deity or false god. He is represented in the ancient moralities, farces, and puppet shows as extremely vociferous and tumultous.
[Obs.]
Chaucer.
“And oftentimes by Termagant and Mahound [Mahomet] swore.” Spenser.
The lesser part on Christ believed well,
On
On
Termagant
the more, and on Mahound. Fairfax.
2.
A boisterous, brawling, turbulent person; – formerly applied to both sexes, now only to women.
This terrible
termagant
, this Nero, this Pharaoh. Bale (1543).
The slave of an imperious and reckless
termagant
. Macaulay.
Ter′ma-gant
,Adj.
Tumultuous; turbulent; boisterous; furious; quarrelsome; scolding.
– Ter′ma-gant-ly
, adv.
A
termagant
, imperious, prodigal, profligate wench. Arbuthnot.
Webster 1828 Edition
Termagant
TER'MAGANT
,Adj.
The eldest was a termagant, imperious, prodigal, profligate wench.
TER'MAGANT
,Noun.
She threw his periwig into the fire. Well, said he, thou are a brave termagant.
The sprites of fiery termagants in flame--
Definition 2024
Termagant
Termagant
See also: termagant
English
Proper noun
Termagant
- (archaic) An imaginary deity with a violent temperament who featured in medieval mystery plays, represented as being worshiped by Muslims
- Fairfax
- The lesser part on Christ believed well, / On Termagant the more, and on Mahound.
- Fairfax
termagant
termagant
See also: Termagant
English
Alternative forms
Noun
termagant (plural termagants)
- A quarrelsome, scolding woman, especially one who is old and shrewish.
- 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1, canto 2
- [...] Make feeble ladies, in their works, / To fight like termagants and Turks; [...]
- 1907, Isaac Flagg, Plato: the Apology and Crito, p. 196.:
- The name of Xanthippe, the wife of Socrates, has become proverbial for a termagant.
- 1970, Robertson Davies, Fifth Business:
- Easier divorce, equal pay for equal work as between men and women, no discrimination between the sexes in employment – these were her causes, and in promoting them she was no comic-strip feminist termagant, but reasonable, logical, and untiring.
- 1663, Hudibras, by Samuel Butler, part 1, canto 2
- (obsolete) A boisterous, brawling, turbulent person, whether male or female.
- Bale (1543)
- This terrible termagant, this Nero, this Pharaoh.
- Macaulay
- The slave of an imperious and reckless termagant.
- Bale (1543)
Translations
a quarrelsome, scolding woman, especially old and shrewd
Synonyms
Adjective
termagant (comparative more termagant, superlative most termagant)
- Quarrelsome and scolding or censorious; shrewish.
- 1993, Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford:
- These bishops with their termagant wives throw the book at us and say believe because I demand belief and by God I will burn or hang and quarter you if you do not.
- 1993, Anthony Burgess, A Dead Man in Deptford: