CANTANKEROUS

cantankerous, crotchety, ornery

(adjective) having a difficult and contrary disposition; “a cantankerous and venomous-tongued old lady”- Dorothy Sayers

cantankerous, bloody-minded

(adjective) stubbornly obstructive and unwilling to cooperate; “unions...have never been as bloody-minded about demarcation as the shipbuilders”- Spectator

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Perhaps derived from earlier contenkerous, from contentious + rancorous.

Adjective

cantankerous (comparative more cantankerous, superlative most cantankerous)

Given to or marked by an ill-tempered nature; ill-tempered, cranky, surly, crabby.

Usage notes

Note: Cantankerous is generally used to describe an unpleasant elderly person in a slightly pejorative manner. However, the term can be used to people in general, livestock, and machinery as well.

Synonyms

• cranky

• grouchy

• grumpy

• ornery

• surly

• truculent

Source: Wiktionary

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Can*tan"ker*ous, a.

Definition: Perverse; contentious; ugly; malicious. [Colloq.] -- Can*tan"ker*ous*ly, adv.

– Can*tan"ker*ous*ness, n. The cantankerous old maiden aunt. Theckeray.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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