petulant
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of petulant
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin petulant- (stem of petulāns ) “impudent,” akin to petere “to seek, head for”
Explanation
Choose the adjective petulant to describe a person or behavior that is irritable in a childish way. The adjective petulant is a disapproving term used to describe a bad-tempered child, an adult behaving like an angry child or behavior of this type. It's one thing to be angry or annoyed but if someone is petulant, they're acting in an unreasonable or unjustified manner. Petulant came to English in the late 16th century from the Latin petulantem, "forward, insolent" but was not recorded to mean "childishly irritable" until the late 1700s.
Vocabulary lists containing petulant
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 4
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List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Petulant outbursts are not always detrimental to tennis players' legacies.
From Time • Jul. 7, 2017
Petulant, greedy and hopelessly spoiled, she raids Lili’s closet for a party dress, and, later, jewelry.
From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2014
Petulant tackle midway through first half drew a yellow card.
From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2011
Well, it's time for Archie Bunker to move over and make way for Petulant Pierre.
From Time Magazine Archive
O rare Petulant, thou art as quick as fire in a frosty morning; thou shalt to the Mall with us, and we'll be very severe.
From The Way of the World by Congreve, William
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
