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Definition of petulance

petulance

/ˈpɛtʃ.ə.ləns/
pet · u · lance
Adverb:petulantly
•
Adjective:petulant
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petulance Lexical Profile

petulance Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The quality or state of being childishly sulky, bad-tempered, or unreasonably irritable, especially over trivial matters.

Example

"The actor's sudden petulance on set delayed filming for several hours."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

pettiness
petting
petty
petulance
petulantly
petunia
peumo

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the early 17th century from French pétulance or directly from Latin petulantia ('impudence, sauciness'), derived from petere ('to attack, seek, or aim at'). Originally denoting forwardness or insolence in English, the meaning shifted over time to its modern sense of childish, sulky irritability.

Cite this Entry

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