cantankerous
[ kan-tang-ker-uh s ]
/ kænˈtæŋ kər əs /
adjective
disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish: a cantankerous, argumentative man.
RELATED CONTENT
Why was the scary word “cataclysm” so popular on Google yesterday? What does it mean?If a word like “cataclysm,” that basically means “a ginormous, Armageddon–style disaster” is all over the Web, you might feel a tad cantankerous, or at least concerned. Would it make you feel better to know that the news was greeted by thousands of geeks around the world with glee? Enough teasing — “Cataclysm” refers to the latest installment of “World of Warcraft,” the multiplayer fantasy game …
RELATED WORDS
dour, grouchy, testy, quarrelsome, cranky, prickly, grumpy, irascible, bad-tempered, captious, choleric, contrary, critical, cross, crotchety, crusty, disagreeable, huffy, ill-natured, irritable
Nearby words
- cantabrigian,
- cantal,
- cantala,
- cantalever,
- cantaloupe,
- cantar,
- cantata,
- cantatrice,
- canteen,
- canteen culture
Origin of cantankerous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for cantankerous
cantankerous
/ (kænˈtæŋkərəs) /
adjective
quarrelsome; irascible
Word Origin for cantankerous
C18: perhaps from C14 (obsolete) conteckour a contentious person, from conteck strife, from Anglo-French contek, of obscure origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
cantankerous
1772, said to be "a Wiltshire word," probably from an alteration (influenced by raucous) of Middle English contakour "troublemaker" (c.1300), from Anglo-French contec "discord, strife," from Old French contechier (Old North French contekier), from con- "with" + teche, related to atachier "hold fast" (see attach). With -ous. Related: Cantankerously; cantankerousness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper