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.

Origin of petulant

1590–1600; < Latin petulant- (stem of petulāns) impudent, akin to petere to seek, head for

SYNONYMS FOR petulant

OTHER WORDS FROM petulant

pet·u·lant·ly, adverb un·pet·u·lant, adjective un·pet·u·lant·ly, adverb

Example sentences from the Web for petulantly

British Dictionary definitions for petulantly

petulant
/ (ˈpɛtjʊlənt) /

adjective

irritable, impatient, or sullen in a peevish or capricious way

Derived forms of petulant

petulance or petulancy, noun petulantly, adverb

Word Origin for petulant

C16: via Old French from Latin petulāns bold, from petulāre (unattested) to attack playfully, from petere to assail