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CEFR C2 — Proficiency

Termagant

Definition

(literary, formal) A quarrelsome or scolding woman; a woman who is perceived as being bossy, opinionated, or argumentative. Typically used in a somewhat archaic or literary sense to convey a sense of old-fashioned disapproval or sexism.

Example Sentences

1The termagant wife of the mayor was notorious for her sharp tongue and ability to intimidate the town's officials.
2In Shakespeare's comedies, the termagant is often a stock character, embodying the stereotype of the shrewish wife or the nagging mother-in-law.
3The literary critic argued that the termagant in Dickens's novels served as a foil to the more submissive female characters, highlighting the societal pressures on women during the Victorian era.
4The politician's wife was unfairly labelled a termagant by the press due to her outspoken views on social justice, which were seen as too radical for the time.
5There is a long history of termagants in literature and folklore, from the Wife of Bath in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to the more recent portrayals of strong-willed women in contemporary fiction.

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