Make Your Point > Archived Issues > PETULANT

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connect today's word to others: When your kids whine and moan because you won't give them a cupcake before dinner, they're being petulant. Petulant joins our list of words for people who are cross, crabby, cranky, and crotchety: 1. Can______ous people are grumpy, in a bad mood, and eager to start a petty disagreement. 2. Qu____ous people are annoyed and annoying: complaining a lot in a whiny way. 3. and 4. B___ous or ch____ic people are cranky, irritable, or full of hateful anger all the time. Petulant comes from a Latin verb, petere, that has a ridiculous number of meanings: "to go to, to rush at, to attack, to ask for, to strive for, to seek, to demand, to require, to beg..." The list goes on. We see petere in tons of words, like repeat, compete, petition, appetite, impetus, __petu___ ("moving in a forceful, violent, unthinking way"), ___pet__y ("forever, or all of time"), and again, today's word, petulant. (But not the name Peter--that's from a word meaning "rock or stone.") Even when we recognize petere in an unfamiliar English word, its myriad of meanings makes it hard for us to puzzle out what the English word actually means. We just know it has something to do with an attack, a movement, or a desire. Actually, it might not anymore. Meanings change. Petulant originally meant "lusty and inappropriately forward"--a meaning that lines up with petere's meaning "to seek." But today, petulant means "cranky." Thanks for nothing this time, petere. Still, we're glad to know you. (To reveal a word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "PETULANT" This word has been around since the year 1538. It's from a Latin verb meaning "seek." At first, "petulant" meant "lewd." Then it grew to mean "rude," and then "cranky," the meaning we use today. So in other words, today, petulant people and things are cranky, sulky, and in a bad mood, usually in a childish way, and usually because of small, unimportant reasons. Pronunciation: PETCH yuh lunt Part of speech: Adjective. (Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late." They can be used in two ways: 1. Right before a noun, as in "a petulant frown" or "a petulant child." 2. After a linking verb, as in "It was petulant" or "He was petulant.") Other forms: petulantly, petulance (or petulancy) How to use it: This word has a negative tone. To call people petulant is to suggest that their anger is petty, childish, and inappropriate. Talk about petulant people and their petulant moods, attitudes, behaviors, spats, squabbles, gestures, postures, comments, complaints, demands, etc. Or, talk about petulant rage, petulant strife, petulant indignance, and so on. examples: The drinks are wrong and the food is cold, but she shouldn't have risen such a petulant fuss. "Aunty Uju sounded defiant, even petulant, clenching her fist tightly around her own story."    — Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Americanah, 2014 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "petulant" without saying "huffy" or "whiny." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "With the petulance of a hungry, sleep-deprived child, (someone) griped about (something petty)." Example: "With the petulance of a hungry, sleep-deprived child, she griped about having to empty the dishwasher by herself." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Complete the Limerick! In each issue this month, finish off the last line of the poem with a word or phrase we've checked out before. From the previous issue: Her story of winning the lotto, The punch line delivered staccato, Was quite entertaining But truth-wise, a straining: The story was just ben trovato. Try this one today: She sketches contraptions mesmerical. She dreams up flight plans atmospherical. She won't be deterred By the naysayers' words That label her efforts __________. review today's word: 1. A close opposite of PETULANT is A. MATURE. B. CHEERFUL. C. RESERVED. 2. While it might be true that _____, there's no need to declare it so petulantly. A. waiting in line is boring B. your grandmother baked the best apple pie in the county C. your kids should demonstrate appreciation for their comfortable lifestyle Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A