petulant — childishly sulky or bad-tempered
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: childishly sulky or bad-tempered
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈpetʃələnt/
Example Sentences
- The CEO's petulant refusal to listen to feedback made the meeting very awkward.
- When the Wi-Fi went down, Mark became as petulant as a toddler denied candy.
- Her petulant sighs during the lecture made it clear she didn't want to be there.
petulant
ADJECTIVE[/ˈpetʃələnt/]
childishly sulky or bad-tempered
The petulant prince throws his crown when denied more dessert at the royal banquet.
Pet, you lant! - Kid throws tantrum at lazy pet
The petulant boss ignores his consultant
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'petulans' meaning 'impudent' or 'forward,' which may derive from 'petere' meaning 'to rush at' or 'to seek.' The word entered English in the 16th century to describe someone prone to childish irritability.
Breakdown
petul- (Latin root meaning 'impudent/forward') + -ant (English suffix meaning 'prone to' or 'characterized by') = petulant (prone to childish sulkiness)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The CEO's petulant refusal to listen to feedback made the meeting very awkward.”
“When the Wi-Fi went down, Mark became as petulant as a toddler denied candy.”
“Her petulant sighs during the lecture made it clear she didn't want to be there.”
“The cat gave a petulant meow when I moved it from my warm laptop keyboard.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.