different between petulant vs vexatious

English

Etymology

From Middle French, from Latin petul?ns, akin to petere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?t??l?nt/, /?p?tj?l?nt/

Adjective

petulant (comparative more petulant, superlative most petulant)

1. Childishly irritable.

   Synonyms: bad-tempered, crabby, grouchy, huffy; see also Thesaurus:irritable

   Antonym: easygoing

2. (obsolete) Forward; pert; insolent; wanton.

   Synonyms: brazen, flippant, impertinent; see also Thesaurus:cheeky

Translations

Anagrams

• patulent

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French pétulant.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?pe?.tu?l?nt/
• Hyphenation: pe?tu?lant

Adjective

petulant (not comparable)

1. (rare) exuberant

Inflection

English

Etymology

a 1650 vexation +? -ous

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /v?k?se???s/
• Rhymes: -e???s

Adjective

vexatious (comparative more vexatious, superlative most vexatious)

1. Causing vexation or annoyance; teasing; troublesome.
2. (archaic) Full of trouble or disquiet

   Synonyms: harassed, distressed, annoyed, vexed

   • 1644, Kenelm Digby, Two Treatises - To My Son Kenelm Digby (preface)

     He leads a vexatious life.

3. (law, of an action) Commenced for the purpose of giving trouble, without due cause.

   a vexatious lawsuit

4. (law, of a party or entity) In the habit of starting vexatious litigation and therefore liable to have restraints placed on one's ability to access the courts.

   a vexatious litigant

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:annoying

Derived terms

• vexatiously
• vexatiousness

Related terms

• vex
• vexation

Translations

References

• vexatious in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• vexatious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.