Petulance

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpɛtjʊləns/

Definitions

1. A tendency to become easily annoyed, irritable, or bad-tempered, especially over minor matters
2. A disposition characterized by frequent irritability or sulkiness that manifests over trivial issues
3. The quality of being easily upset or angered, often exhibiting a moody or childlike behavior in response to minor frustrations

Etymology: Petulance comes from Latin "petulantia," a noun built on "petulans," meaning "impudent" or "insolent," which itself grew from the verb "petere," "to attack" or "to seek." That original sense was far more aggressive than the sulky irritability the word describes today. A Roman who was petulant was bold, forward, or willing to push past good manners, and the idea of a sharp, forward thrust is still visible in the word's shape. The term passed into English through Middle French "pétulance," a route that tells you how the word was valued in medieval and early modern Europe as a term for unruly or impudent conduct. Over the centuries its meaning narrowed from general insolence toward the small, childish irritability we now recognize, so that someone who snaps at a minor inconvenience is said to be petulant rather than defiant.

Synonyms: irritability, petulance

Antonyms: serenity, calmness