rancorous

American  

[rang-ker-uhs] / ˈræŋ kər əs /

adjective

1. full of or showing rancor.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unrancorous
  adjective
• rancorousness
  noun
• rancorously
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of rancorous

First recorded in 1580–90; rancor + -ous

Explanation

The adjective rancorous comes in handy when you're describing someone's bitter grudge, like the attitude of your cousin who still won't speak to you after the April Fool's Day prank you played four years ago. A story can be rancorous, if it's full of resentment, and so can an argument, if it's particularly bitter and angry. The word rancorous can be traced back to the Latin word rancere, which means "to stink." This in turn led to rancorem, "bitterness or rancidness." When you speak to your arch enemy and your words are so angry and bitter that they almost stink, go ahead and describe them as rancorous.

Example Sentences

Rancorous debate over how or whether to restrict the westward spread of the peculiar institution had created bitter divisions within the two major political parties and spawned a third, the Free Soil Party.

From Slate • Sep. 14, 2012

Rancorous confrontations among government, business, labor and a thousand contentious factions could erupt.

From Time Magazine Archive

Rancorous, guttural cries burst out loudly on their ears, and a strange panting sound, the working of all these straining breasts.

From Typhoon by Conrad, Joseph

Rancorous wranglings and debates pervaded Congress and the whole land.

From History of the United States, Volume 3 by Andrews, Elisha Benjamin

Related Words

• acrimonious
• bitter
• resentful
• spiteful