cantankerouscan‧tan‧ker‧ous /kænˈtæŋkərəs/ adjective 
Word Origin
a cantankerous old man
Word OriginWORD ORIGINcantankerous
ExamplesOrigin:
1700-1800 Perhaps from conteck ‘quarreling’ (13-17 centuries)EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- As Ethel grew older, she became more cantankerous.
- Brooks is the committee's cantankerous chairman.
- A cantankerous argument followed, which the touchy Hennepin would never forget.
- A cantankerous sojourn in Aberdeen ended when he was forcibly evicted from his lodgings.
- Can it be plain cantankerous at times?
- Dominic Everardus Bogardus, a cantankerous but more stable replacement, arrived a year later.
- The cantankerous aide organized support for health care reform, coordinated the Whitewater defense and helped chart the course to renomination.
- The cantankerous tone of Hippolytus can not be denied.
- The defendant is a cantankerous individual gripped by the dangerous delusion that his opinion matters.
THESAURUS► bad-tempered
bad-tempered and complaining a lot: becoming easily annoyed and talking in an angry unfriendly way to people: · Her husband was a disagreeable, bad-tempered man.· I was wondering why she had been so bad-tempered recently.
► moody often becoming annoyed or unhappy, especially when there seems to be no good reason: · a moody teenager· Myra can be a bit moody sometimes.
► irritable easily annoyed about small things, especially because you are tired, upset, or worried: · I hadn’t had much sleep and was feeling tired and irritable.· Since Steve quit smoking, he’s been really irritable.· You’re turning into an irritable old man.
► grumpy/grouchy easily annoyed and often complaining about things – used especially when talking about people you know well. These words sound much gentler and less critical than bad-tempered: · There’s no need to be so grumpy!· He woke up in a grouchy mood.
► be in a bad mood to be feeling annoyed or unhappy, so that you do not speak in a normal friendly way to people – used especially when this only lasts for a fairly short period of time and is not part of someone’s usual character: · Leave him alone – he’s in a bad mood today.· By the time I got home at 9 o'clock, I was in a really bad mood.
► have/have got a short fuse informal to be likely to become angry very suddenly, especially in an unreasonable way: · Be careful what you say to the Colonel - he’s got a very short fuse.
► cantankerous written bad-tempered and complaining or quarrelling a lot – used especially about old people: · The hotel owner was a cantankerous old man.· In later years, she became quite cantankerous.
Longman Language Activatoroften behaving in an angry, unfriendly way► bad-tempered · Her father was a bad-tempered man who sat alone drinking beer and watching TV most nights.· As Aunt Matilde's pain grew worse, she became too bad-tempered to see anyone.
► grumpy/grouchy angry and unfriendly, and often complaining about things: · a grumpy old man· Sandy is always grouchy in the mornings.
► disagreeable especially British someone who is disagreeable is bad-tempered and very unfriendly and behaves in an unpleasant way towards people: · It's impossible to have a normal conversation with your father - he's always so disagreeable.· The landlord is an extremely disagreeable man. Have as little to do with him as possible.
► moody often becoming annoyed or unhappy, especially when there seems to be no good reason to: · Tammy's been moody and emotional all day.· a moody teenager
► uptight behaving in a bad-tempered way towards other people, especially because you are always nervous or worried about something: · I wish you would stop being so uptight.uptight about: · My parents have always been uptight about me dating boys.
► cantankerous an old person who is cantankerous is bad-tempered and complains and quarrels a lot: · As Ethel grew older, she became more cantankerous.· Brooks is the committee's cantankerous chairman.
► misery British spoken use this about someone who is always complaining and never seems to enjoy anything: · Stop grumbling, you old misery.· Don't invite her. She's such a misery!
► surly someone who is surly behaves in a bad-tempered, rude, and unhelpful way when dealing with people: · Passengers complained about the dirty lavatory and surly staff.· Kevin can be really surly sometimes.· I declined to tip the porter, who left with a surly expression.
a cantankerous old man