Petulant /ˈpɛtjʊlənt/ is a 9-letter adjective that describes someone who is easily irritated or annoyed, especially by insignificant things. The word is derived from the Latin word "petulans", meaning "forward, insolent". The IPA phonetic transcription explains the spelling of this word. The symbol /p/ represents the sound "p" at the beginning of the word, while /j/ represents the "y" sound. /ʊ/ represents the short "u" sound, and /l/ represents the "l" sound. The final syllable ending in /ənt/ indicates the adjective form.
Petulant is an adjective that characterizes a person's behavior or attitude as childishly sulky or bad-tempered, often displayed in an impatient or irritated manner. It typically describes someone who is easily annoyed by even minor inconveniences and displays their irritation through whining, complaining, or speaking rudely. This behavior could be a response to not getting their way or when faced with circumstances they find displeasing.
A petulant individual may display impulsive and immature reactions, often with an underlying sense of entitlement. They may throw tantrums, exhibit passive-aggressive behavior, or react impulsively and irrationally to situations. Their annoyance is frequently expressed through complaining or dissatisfaction, even when others might consider their grievances trivial or unwarranted.
The term "petulant" can describe both children and adults who exhibit these characteristics. The word implies a lack of emotional self-control and a tendency to act out in an unreasonable or immature manner. Petulance can negatively impact relationships, as others may find it difficult to communicate or work with someone who consistently displays such behavior.
Overall, petulant refers to someone who frequently displays irritation, annoyance, or bad temper in an immature, sulky, or childish manner, often due to not getting their way or encountering minor obstacles.
Irritable or pert from fretfulness or ill-humour; saucy; capriciously peevish; freakish in passion.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "petulant" is derived from the Latin word "petulans", which means "forward, presumptuous". The Latin term comes from the verb "petere", meaning "to seek" or "to ask". Over time, in English, "petulant" has evolved to refer to someone who is unreasonably irritated or easily annoyed, often expressing annoyance or impatience in a childish or sulky manner.