Virago

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /vɪˈɹɑːɡəʊ/

Definitions

1. A domineering, overbearing, or belligerent woman of masculine strength or temperament
2. a forceful and aggressive woman who commands authority through intimidating presence and strength
3. an assertive and combative female figure whose powerful demeanor brooks no opposition

Etymology: The Latin "virago" was built from "vir", meaning "man", plus a suffix that made it mean "manlike" or "manly". Roman writers applied it to women who showed courage or strength of a kind usually expected of men, so from the start the word praised a woman for behaving like a man, not for being a man. Its earliest sense in Latin was thus already a compliment shaded with surprise. English borrowed the word directly from Latin, and it carried that heroic, warlike tone into the language. Over time, though, the sense drifted from admiration toward a more forbidding figure: a woman who is formidable, domineering, and not easily crossed. The modern meaning keeps that edge of combativeness, which is why the word still sounds more like a warning than a tribute.

Synonyms: battle-ax, termagant

Antonyms: gentlewoman