petulant
/ˈpɛtjʊl(ə)nt
/- By midnight, he was pouting like a petulant kid being kept after school.
- I cycled off, leaving him to glower after me like a petulant teenager.
- It's all because I am consumed by trying to make it work right away, like some petulant child.
Derivatives
petulantly
/ adverb ...- I looked up at this elegant, slender woman blessed with a large and loving family and plenty of resources and said, rather petulantly, ‘But she could find something else to do.’
- But I have to petulantly admit that when I've capitulated and carried out their wishes, their ideas do feel right.
- It is crucial that, if early decisions go against them, Celtic's players do not react petulantly and adopt a persecution complex.
Origin
Late 16th century (in the sense 'immodest'): from French pétulant, from Latin petulant- 'impudent' (related to petere 'aim at, seek'). The current sense (mid 18th century) is influenced by pettish.
compete from early 17th century:
This word is from Latin competere in its late sense ‘strive or contend for (something)’: the elements here are com- ‘together’ and petere ‘aim at, seek’. As well as giving us competition (early 17th century) this is also the source of competent (Late Middle English); while petere gives us: impetus [M17] and impetuous (Late Middle English) ‘seek towards, assail’; petition (Middle English) an act of seeking for something; petulant (late 16th century) originally immodest in what you seek; and repeat (Late Middle English) seek again.