Squabbler

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Someone who frequently engages in petty arguments or disputes
2. A person inclined to constantly bicker or fight over trivial matters
3. An individual known for causing disagreements through continual squabbling

Etymology: "Squabbler" is a simple formation: the verb "squabble" with the agent suffix "-er," which English has used since Old English to turn verbs into nouns for the one doing the action. The suffix arrived by a long route, passing through Old French "-ier" and Latin "-arius," and it was attached to plenty of native English verbs and nouns over the centuries. The verb "squabble" is the more intriguing half. It seems to have arisen from the sound of noisy, scrambling disagreement, a common pattern for English words describing quarrels and commotion. Its precise ancestry is uncertain, and it is related to words such as "squab," a plump young bird whose name may likewise echo a soft, flapping sound.

Synonyms: quibbler, arguer, debater

Antonyms: peacemaker, reconciler