petulant

From Middle French, from Latin petulāns, akin to petere.

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɛt͡ʃʊlənt/, /ˈpɛtjʊlənt/, /ˈpɛt͡ʃələnt/, /ˈpɛtjələnt/

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petulant (comparative more petulant, superlative most petulant)

1. Childishly irritable.

   Synonyms: bad-tempered, crabby, grouchy, huffy; see also Thesaurus:irritable

   Antonym: easygoing

   Lack of sleep is causing Dave's recent petulant behavior.

   • December 13 2021, Molly Ball, Jeffrey Kluger and Alejandro de la Garza, “Elon Musk: Person of the Year 2021”, in Time Magazine‎:

     Former associates have described Musk as petty, cruel and petulant, particularly when frustrated or challenged.

2. (obsolete) Forward; pert; insolent; wanton.

   Synonyms: brazen, flippant, impertinent; see also Thesaurus:cheeky

   • 1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed by John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC:

     Who hath not like cause to complain, and is not so troubled, that shall fall into the mouths of such men? for many are of so petulant a spleen

• patulent

Borrowed from French pétulant.

• IPA^(key): /ˌpeː.tuˈlɑnt/
• Hyphenation: pe‧tu‧lant

petulant (not comparable)

1. (rare) exuberant

From French pétulant.

petulant m or n (feminine singular petulantă, masculine plural petulanți, feminine and neuter plural petulante)

1. (literary) exuberant, lively

   Synonyms: vioi, zburdalnic