termagant

/ˈtʌrməgənt/

Other forms: termagants

Termagant is an insulting name for a woman who likes to nag, scold, or complain.

Termagant is an old-fashioned insult for a woman. A termagant is like a shrew (another old-fashioned term). Termagants are always in a bad mood, whining and complaining, and generally making life miserable for everyone around them. You might also see termagant used as an adjective, as in "that termagant wife of yours is trouble." The noun termagant comes from a made-up violent god that frequently appeared in European medieval literature.

Definitions of termagant

1. noun

   a scolding, nagging, bad-tempered woman
   synonyms: shrew

   types:

   virago

   a noisy or scolding or domineering woman

   yenta

   (Yiddish) a vulgar shrew; a shallow coarse termagant

   type of:

   disagreeable woman, unpleasant woman

   a woman who is an unpleasant person
2. adjective

   continually complaining or faultfinding
   synonyms: nagging, shrewish

   ill-natured

   having an irritable and unpleasant disposition