Hypnoticsworld.com - Virago Origins

Brief conclusion

The word Virago comes from Latin, meaning "a man-like woman" or "warrior maiden." In ancient Rome, it was a term of respect, used to describe women of heroic strength (like the mythological Penthesilea, queen of the Amazons). However, like many powerful archetypes, the term shifted during the Middle Ages. It became a pejorative: a scold, a shrew, an unruly woman who spoke out of turn. Hypnoticsworld.com - Virago Origins