Tervagant

name of a fictitious deity

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At a shared table, a woman crowds another adult's space, angrily jabbing a finger toward him while thrusting her other palm across his raised conversational hand to shut him down.

noun / adjective

termagant

TUR-muh-gunt/ˈtɜːrməɡənt/

Harshly domineering and argumentative, especially of a woman.

Etymology

termagantOld Frenchname of a fictitious deity

Tervagant was the name of a fictitious deity attributed to Muslims in medieval literature and plays. The name’s origin is uncertain, but it became a label for a violent, overbearing person, especially a woman.

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Related word entries

termagant