virago
Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:13 pm
Another bon mot from M. Irving:
See termagant for a usage example.virago
SYLLABICATION: vi·ra·go
PRONUNCIATION: və-rä'gō, -rā'-, vîr'ə-gō'
(where ə is the elusive schwa)
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. vi·ra·goes or vi·ra·gos
1. A woman regarded as noisy, scolding, or domineering. 2. A large, strong, courageous woman.
ETYMOLOGY: Latin virāgō, from vir, man. See wī-ro- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS: vi·ragi·nous (və-ră'jə-nəs) —ADJECTIVE
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.