Resentful

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈzɛntfəl/

Definitions

1. Feeling bitter or indignant about something perceived as unfair treatment or an injustice
2. Harboring feelings of bitterness or indignation due to perceived mistreatment or unfairness in a situation
3. Experiencing a sense of anger or displeasure that arises from an unjust experience or treatment

Etymology: "Resentful" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is "resent" with the suffix "-ful" attached, and "resent" itself traces back to the Old French "resentir," meaning "to feel again" or "to perceive," from re- ("again") and "sentir" ("to feel"). The original sense of "resent" was therefore a neutral, even mild, act of feeling or noticing something, and the bitter sense of taking offence developed later, as the feeling grew more pointed in English usage. The suffix "-ful" is an old and productive English ending, descended from the Old English word "full," which meant "full of" or "characterized by." Attached to a noun it creates an adjective describing a quality or tendency, as in "hopeful" or "careful." Here it turns the verb "resent" into an adjective describing someone who is inclined to feel that bitterness.

Synonyms: bitter, indignant, sore

Antonyms: forgiving, grateful