Cantankerous Definition
kăn-tăngkər-əs
adjective
Bad-tempered; quarrelsome.
Webster's New World
Difficult to handle.
American Heritage
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.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Origin of Cantankerous
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Perhaps from Middle English contek dissension (influenced by such words as rancorous) (cankerous) from Anglo-Norman contec possibly from Latin contāctus past participle of contingere to touch contact
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Perhaps derived from earlier contenkerous, from contentious + rancorous.
From Wiktionary
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