different between cankerous vs cantankerous

English

Etymology

canker +? -ous

Adjective

cankerous (comparative more cankerous, superlative most cankerous)

1. Infected with canker; ulcerous.
2. Causing canker; ulcerating.

Quotations

• 1843 William Youatt, John Stuart Skinner - The Horse

  A pledget of tar should be dipped in the acid, and then firmly pressed on the cankerous surface.

• 1861 Alfred Bate Richards - Croesus, King of Lydia

  Twas cankerous envy framed his sour reply.

English

Etymology

Perhaps derived from earlier contenkerous, from contentious + rancorous.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kæn?tæ?k???s/, /k?n?tæ?k???s/

Adjective

cantankerous (comparative more cantankerous, superlative most cantankerous)

1. Given to or marked by an ill-tempered nature; ill-tempered, cranky, surly, crabby.

Usage notes

Note: cantankerous is generally used to describe an unpleasant elderly person in a slightly pejorative manner. However, the term can be used to people in general, livestock, and machinery as well.

Synonyms

• cranky
• grouchy
• grumpy
• ornery
• surly
• truculent

Derived terms

Translations