spleeny

[ splee-nee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, spleen·i·er, spleen·i·est.

Origin of spleeny¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; spleen + -y ¹

I suppose being shut up in the house with my sprained ankle makes me spleeny.

The man who thinks he is dying may be spleeny, but the man who says he is spleeny is, of the two, the one more likely to be dying.

He is a spleeny, querulous, joyless fellow, of thin blood and aching liver.

Being in a spleeny and uncomfortable mood to-day, what resource so legitimate as to betake myself to my own family?

"I've an idea I'm spleeny," he replied with a ghastly attempt at a smile.

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