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cantankerous

 - 3 dictionary results

can⋅tan⋅ker⋅ous

  [kan-tang-ker-uhs]
Use cantankerous in a Sentence
–adjective
disagreeable to deal with; contentious; peevish: a cantankerous, argumentative man.
Origin:
1765–75; perh. var. of earlier *contenkerous, reflecting contentious, rancorous

Related forms:
can⋅tan⋅ker⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
can⋅tan⋅ker⋅ous⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To cantankerous
can·tan·ker·ous   (kān-tāng'kər-əs)   
adj.  

  1. Ill-tempered and quarrelsome; disagreeable: disliked her cantankerous landlord.

  2. Difficult to handle: "had to use liquid helium, which is supercold, costly and cantankerous" (Boston Globe).


[Perhaps from Middle English contek, dissension (influenced by such words as rancorous and cankerous), from Anglo-Norman contec, possibly from Latin contāctus, past participle of contingere, to touch; see contact.]
can·tan'ker·ous·ly adv., can·tan'ker·ous·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

cantankerous 
1772, said to be "a Wiltshire word," probably an alteration (infl. by raucous) of M.E. contakour "troublemaker" (c.1300), from Anglo-Fr. contec "discord," from O.Fr. contechier, from con- "with" + teche, related to atachier "hold fast" (see attach).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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