petulant
[ pech-uh-luhnt ]
/ ˈpɛtʃ ə lənt /
||
adjective
moved to or showing sudden, impatient irritation, especially over some trifling annoyance: a petulant toss of the head.
Nearby words
petty sessions, petty, richard, petty-fitzmaurice, petulance, petulancy, petulantly, petulantly, petunia, petuntse, petworth house, petén-itzá
Origin of petulant
1590–1600; < Latin petulant- (stem of petulāns) impudent, akin to petere to seek, head for
Related formspet·u·lant·ly, adverbun·pet·u·lant, adjectiveun·pet·u·lant·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for petulantly
British Dictionary definitions for petulantly
petulant
/ (ˈpɛtjʊlənt) /
adjective
irritable, impatient, or sullen in a peevish or capricious way
Derived Formspetulance or petulancy, nounpetulantly, adverb
Word Origin for petulant
C16: via Old French from Latin petulāns bold, from petulāre (unattested) to attack playfully, from petere to assail
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for petulantly
petulant
1590s, "immodest, wanton, saucy," from Middle French petulant (mid-14c.), from Latin petulantem (nominative petulans) "wanton, froward, saucy, insolent," present participle of petere "to attack, assail; strive after; ask for, beg, beseech" (see petition (n.)). Meaning "peevish, irritable" first recorded 1775, probably by influence of pet (n.2). Related: Petulantly.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper