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View synonyms for testy

testy

[ tes-tee ]

adjective

, tes·ti·er, tes·ti·est.
  1. irritably impatient; touchy.

    Synonyms: irascible, cross, snappish, edgy, tetchy

    Antonyms: composed



testy

/ ˈtɛstɪ /

adjective

  1. irritable or touchy


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Derived Forms

  • ˈtestiness, noun
  • ˈtestily, adverb

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Other Words From

  • testi·ly adverb
  • testi·ness noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of testy1

First recorded in 1325–75; late Middle English testi, alteration of Middle French testu “headstrong”; replacing Middle English testif, from Middle French. See test 2, -ive

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Word History and Origins

Origin of testy1

C14: from Anglo-Norman testif headstrong, from Old French teste head, from Late Latin testa skull, from Latin: shell

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Synonym Study

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Example Sentences

The Anglo-American “conversations” about the timing of the second front often grew heated and testy.

OPEC meets in Vienna on Friday, a meeting that will, according to the Wall Street Journal, be a mite testy.

He seemed a bit testy, angry, as if the world were against him.

I've never seen a government official get quite this testy with a reporter.

There is a relationship that develops, tense and often testy, between a journalist and his quarry.

But hitherto he had found none to answer his challenge, and his humour was testy.

Just as the testy trade of Upsal demanded the franchise for its eighty-one women, so would the Lowell mill.

Gordon opened his door a little way, and exclaimed in a testy and irritable tone, "Presently, presently."

As late as 1908 a caustic critic was challenged to a duel by the testy and furious family head of the Gourgauds.

On these occasions he was often seen to regard them both with a puzzled look on his somewhat testy but still kind-hearted face.

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tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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