petulant Hear it!

petulant Definition

petu·lant (pec̸h′ə lənt)

adjective

  1. Obsolete forward or insolent
  2. impatient or irritable, esp. over petty things; peevish

Etymology: L petulans (gen. petulantis), forward, petulant < base of petere, to rush at, fall: see feather

petulant Related Forms

pet′u·lance noun or pet′u·lancy pet′u·lantly adverb

petulant Synonyms

petulant

modif.

grouchy, testy, cross; see irritable.

petulant Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • child: Sadly, the petulant child ' little Bush ' has now won.
  • behavior: The row it caused and Cann's petulant behavior carried on for well over a year.
  • display: To what do I owe such a petulant display of insolence?
  • kick: And not Beckham's petulant kick, as 250 million viewers had previously thought.
  • voice: He went on, whistling merrily, until a petulant voice cried: " Oh, stop it!
  • tone: They tend to have a petulant tone, in which important matters jostle with others of less significance.

Modifying Another Word

rather: PM inclined to lash out at all & sundry & rather petulant.