Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Termagant \Ter"ma*gant\, a.
   Tumultuous; turbulent; boisterous; furious; quarrelsome;
   scolding. -- {Ter"ma*gant*ly}, adv.

         A termagant, imperious, prodigal, profligate wench.
                                                  --Arbuthnot.

Termagant \Ter"ma*gant\, n. [OE. Trivigant, Termagant, Termagant
   (in sense 1), OF. Tervagan; cf. It. Trivigante.]
   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. [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.

Source : WordNet®

termagant
     n : a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman [syn: {shrew}]