termagant (noun)

См. также в других словарях:

• termagant — ► NOUN ▪ a bad tempered or overbearing woman. ORIGIN originally denoting a violent imaginary deity often appearing in medieval morality plays: from Italian Trivagante thrice wandering …   English terms dictionary

• termagant — noun (C) literary a noisy woman who often quarrels with people termagant adjective …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• Termagant — noun /ˈtɜːməɡənt/ an imaginary deity with a violent temperament who featured in medieval mystery plays, represented as being worshiped by Muslims …   Wiktionary

• termagant — UK [ˈtɜː(r)məɡənt] / US [ˈtɜrməɡənt] noun [countable] Word forms termagant : singular termagant plural termagants literary a woman who is always arguing and fighting …   English dictionary

• termagant — [ tə:məg(ə)nt] noun 1》 a harsh tempered or overbearing woman. 2》 (Termagant) historical an imaginary deity of violent and turbulent character, often appearing in morality plays. Origin ME: via OFr. from Ital. Trivagante, taken to be from L. tri… …   English new terms dictionary

• termagant — I. noun Etymology: Middle English Date: 13th century 1. capitalized 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 II …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• termagant — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun A person, traditionally a woman, who persistently nags or criticizes: fishwife, fury, harpy, scold, shrew, virago, vixen. Informal: battle ax. See PRAISE …   English dictionary for students

• termagant — ter|ma|gant [ tɜrməgənt ] noun count LITERARY a woman who is always arguing and fighting …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

• termagant — /ˈtɜməgənt / (say termuhguhnt) noun 1. a violent, turbulent, or brawling woman. –adjective 2. violent; turbulent; brawling; shrewish. {Middle English Termagaunt, Tervagant, from Old French Tervagan a supposed Muslim deity, represented in some… …  

• yenta — noun 1. (Yiddish) a vulgar shrew; a shallow coarse termagant • Topics: ↑Yiddish • Hypernyms: ↑shrew, ↑termagant 2. (Yiddish) a woman who talks too much; a gossip unable to keep a secret; a woman who spreads rumors and scandal …   Useful english dictionary

• virago — noun (plural goes or gos) Etymology: Middle English, from Latin viragin , virago, from vir man more at virile Date: 14th century 1. a loud overbearing woman ; termagant 2. a woman of great stature, strength, and courage • viraginous adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary