cantankerous

[ kan-tang-ker-uh s ]
/ kænˈtæŋ kər əs /

adjective

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

Origin of cantankerous

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

OTHER WORDS FROM cantankerous

can·tan·ker·ous·ly, adverb can·tan·ker·ous·ness, noun

Words nearby cantankerous

Example sentences from the Web for cantankerousness

British Dictionary definitions for cantankerousness

cantankerous
/ (kænˈtæŋkərəs) /

adjective

quarrelsome; irascible

Derived forms of cantankerous

cantankerously, adverb cantankerousness, noun

Word Origin for cantankerous

C18: perhaps from C14 (obsolete) conteckour a contentious person, from conteck strife, from Anglo-French contek, of obscure origin