cantankerous

[kan-tang-ker-uh s]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR cantankerous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish: a cantankerous, argumentative man.

Nearby words

Origin of cantankerous

1765–75; perhaps variant of earlier *contenkerous, reflecting contentious, rancorous

Related formscan·tan·ker·ous·ly, adverbcan·tan·ker·ous·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for cantankerous

To Chicago he was still two-fisted, hard-drinking, cantankerous.
The Stacks: John Schulian’s Classic Profile of Newspaper Columnist Mike Royko|John Schulian|January 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I still remember how disappointed I was by this cantankerous book.
The Smartest Book About Our Digital Age Was Published in 1929|Ted Gioia|January 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
First up, a classic profile of the cantankerous but lovable Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko.
The Stacks: John Schulian’s Classic Profile of Newspaper Columnist Mike Royko|John Schulian|January 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most dangerous animal to encounter when walking, I discovered, is not a lion but a cantankerous male buffalo.
Walking With Wildebeests: Exploring the Serengeti on Foot|Joanna Eede|July 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST

It was ugly, cantankerous, simple enough for any farmhand to understand and fix, and indomitable.
The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Henry Ford|Richard Snow|May 14, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"A cantankerous old woman," I remember he had called her on that occasion, and had made no further effort to propitiate her.
Esther|Rosa Nouchette Carey
But this most cantankerous knight is not touched off with the completeness of Dalgetty, or even of Claud Halcro.
Sir Walter Scott|George Saintsbury
Benvolio, a cantankerous, disputatious gentleman in "Romeo and Juliet."
The Nuttall Encyclopaedia|Edited by Rev. James Wood
One man seemed inclined to be cantankerous, but we brought it in Misadventure all right.
A Case in Camera|Oliver Onions
"Well, of all cantankerous cranks he is the worst," he would say with a sigh.
In the Midst of Alarms|Robert Barr

British Dictionary definitions for cantankerous

cantankerous

adjective

quarrelsome; irascible

Derived Formscantankerously, adverbcantankerousness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for cantankerous

cantankerous

adj.

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.