Word of the Day

I received this word from dictionary.com today:

virago \vuh-RAH-go; vuh-RAY-go\, noun:
1. A woman of extraordinary stature, strength, and courage.
2. A woman regarded as loud, scolding, ill-tempered,
quarrelsome, or overbearing.

Interesting that the one word can mean these two things. I wonder if one definition was derived from the other? Either that it originally meant Def. #1 and was warped by those scared of those types of women. Or perhaps it originally meant Def. #2 and was hence embraced by strong women in defiance.

I'm going to recognize only the first definition and declare myself "Virago" McLean. YEAH!

- Courtney