ornery

[ awr-nuh-ree ]
/ ˈɔr nə ri /

adjective, or·ner·i·er, or·ner·i·est. Dialect.

ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper: No one can get along with my ornery cousin.
stubborn: I can't do a thing with that ornery mule.
low or vile.
inferior or common; ordinary.

Origin of ornery

First recorded in 1790–1800; contraction of ordinary

SYNONYMS FOR ornery

1 mean, ill-tempered, ill-natured, surly, testy.

OTHER WORDS FROM ornery

or·ner·i·ness, noun

Words nearby ornery

ornamentalism, ornamentation, ornamented, ornate, orne, ornery, ornis, ornith-, ornith., ornithic, ornithine

Words related to orneriest

grouchy, ill-tempered, cranky, vicious, hard-nosed, obstinate, grumpy, nasty, cantankerous, contemptible, crabby, crusty, difficult, disagreeable, ignoble, irritable, quarrelsome, rotten, sour, surly

Example sentences from the Web for orneriest

British Dictionary definitions for orneriest

ornery
/ (ˈɔːnərɪ) /

adjective US and Canadian dialect, or informal

stubborn or vile-tempered
low; treacherous an ornery trick
ordinary

Derived forms of ornery

orneriness, noun

Word Origin for ornery

C19: alteration of ordinary