Curmudgeonish

/kɚˈmʌdʒənɪʃ/ adjective

Definition

Having the characteristics or qualities of a curmudgeon; grumpy, bad-tempered, or miserly.

Etymology

From 'curmudgeon' (noun) plus '-ish' (adjective-forming suffix meaning 'having the quality of'), creating an adjective describing curmudgeon-like qualities.

Kelly Says

The '-ish' suffix is wonderfully flexible—it can mean 'somewhat' or 'having the quality of,' which is why 'curmudgeonish' is slightly softer than 'curmudgeonly,' implying someone is kind of grumpy rather than thoroughly grumpy.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.