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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
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.
Tumultuous; turbulent; boisterous or furious; quarrelsome; scolding.
The eldest was a termagant, imperious, prodigal, profligate wench.

TER'MAGANT

,
Noun.
A boisterous, brawling, turbulent woman. It seems in Shakespeare to have been used of men. In ancient farces and puppet-shows, termagant was a vociferous, tumultuous deity.
She threw his periwig into the fire. Well, said he, thou are a brave termagant.
The sprites of fiery termagants in flame--

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