TERMAGANT

termagant. Termagant, n. a scold; a. turbulent, furious

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Ter″ma‐gant (?), n. [[OE. Trivigant, Termagant, Termagant (in sense 1), OF. Tervagan; cf. It. Trivigante.]] 1. 1. An imaginary being supposed by the Christians to be a Mohammedan deity or false god. He is represented in the ancient moralities, farces, and puppet shows as extremely vociferous and tumultous. Chaucer. “And oftentimes by Termagant and Mahound swore.” Spenser.
The lesser part on Christ believed well, On Termagant the more, and on Mahound. Fairfax. 2. 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.