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Definition of ornery

ornery

/ˈɔːr.nɚ.i/
or · ner · y
Adverb:ornerily
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ornery Lexical Profile

ornery Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

North American Bad-tempered, irritable, and stubbornly difficult to deal with.

Example

"The old mule became increasingly ornery whenever the weather turned cold and damp."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

ornately
ornateness
orneriness
ornery
ornithogalum
ornithology
oroblanco

Word Origin & Etymology

Originating in early 19th-century American English, the word is a dialectal contraction and phonetic alteration of 'ordinary', which evolved from meaning 'commonplace or inferior' to 'unpleasant and stubborn'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ornery. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ornery
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