different between untoward vs petulant

English

Etymology

un- +? toward (“to +? -ward”)

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??n.t??w??d/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?t??d/, /??n.t??w??d/
• Rhymes: -??(r)d

Adjective

untoward (comparative more untoward, superlative most untoward)

1. Unfavourable, adverse, or disadvantageous.

   Synonyms: adverse, disadvantageous, inconvenient, unfavorable, unfortunate

   • 1886-88, Richard F. Burton, The Supplemental Nights to the Thousand Nights and a Night:

     But as soon as her son espied her, bowl in hand, he thought that haply something untoward had befallen her, but he would not ask of aught until such time as she had set down the bowl, when she acquainted him with that which had occurred […]
2. Unruly, troublesome; not easily guided.

   Synonyms: difficult, fractious, stubborn, troublesome, uncontrollable, unruly

3. Unseemly, improper.

   Synonyms: immodest, improper, unseemly

Derived terms

• untowardly
• untowardness

Translations

Anagrams

• drawn out, drawn-out, outdrawn

English

Etymology

From Middle French, from Latin petul?ns, akin to petere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?t??l?nt/, /?p?tj?l?nt/

Adjective

petulant (comparative more petulant, superlative most petulant)

1. Childishly irritable.

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

   Antonym: easygoing

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

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

Translations

Anagrams

• patulent

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French pétulant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pe?.tu?l?nt/
• Hyphenation: pe?tu?lant

Adjective

petulant (not comparable)

1. (rare) exuberant

Inflection