what is a female curmudgeon called

It was originally believed to have come from coeur mechant, the French phrase for evil heart, but that theory has been long discarded. 2 archaic : miser. Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Her grumpy attitude toward financial disclosure amused me. Yes! To solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words might be used to describe a "female curmudgeon." How old? We started adding. It is an all-encompassing word for a person who finds no joy in life. Driver "disregarded the activated lights and stop arm," striking the child, the NC Highway Patrol said. House (Hugh Laurie), might save your life with his brilliant diagnoses, but hed make you wish youd never been born before he was done with you. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". What is a female curmudgeon called? 2010 - 2022, Amazon.com, inc. or its affiliates. Thats me, most of the time., I fit most of the codgerhood criteria, and so does my wife, wrote David Noer, without a dissenting note from Mrs. Noer. 1, 'Cattywampus' and Other Funny-Sounding Words. Tho I consider myself a cheery soul, this man made me look like a miserable curmudgeon in comparison to his genuine bonhomie. Codgers didnt arrive until 1758, the year James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president, was born. (Killjoy and spoilsport both showed up in written prose at the end of the 1700slate bloomers for sure, though cutthroats have continued to be coined to this day.) Ettercap refers to a spiteful and unpleasant person, and it first appeared in printed prose with this meaning in the late 1500s.

As fickle and stubborn as the type of person it describes, curmudgeon comes to us without a history, its origins undisclosed.

Fuss seems straightforward enough, but what about that budget? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. She prefers Miss or Mrs. to Ms., Are they codgerettes? It does not store any personal data. When it first appeared in writing at the end of the 1800s, grouch referred to a bad mood, but not just any bad mood: grouch was an alteration of the much older word grutch, which meant grudge. At the time when both grutch and grudge showed up in the written record, during the 1400s, grudge had a much broader meaning than we generally ascribe to it today. Can women be codgers, anyway? For many, the word grouch conjures up images of a green Muppet who lives in a trashcan and grouses about everything, or a comically mustachioed and glasses-wearing actor from the first half of the 20th century whose eyebrow waggling was legendary. Among females, a codger is a woman who doesnt object to being called a lady or to having doors opened for her and restaurant seats pulled out for her.

Delivered to your inbox! WebA "curmudgeon" is a grumpy or bad-tempered person.

While curmudgeon usually describes men, some women can be downright dour as well. Making educational experiences better for everyone. A coot, by the way, is a duck-like bird found in Europe and North America. Curmudgeons are usually cast as grumpy old men, along the lines of Walter Matthau or Andy Rooney. Sign in with Amazon.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! Many a student slogging through Herman Melvilles Moby Dick has come across this passage, sure to be misapprehended by the modern reader: What of it, if some old hunks of a sea-captain orders me to get a broom and sweep down the decks? Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced searchad free! 1 : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. Learn a new word every day. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".

https://www.varsitytutors.com/ssat_upper_level_verbal-help/gendered-terminology. It has seen two spikes in use during its life: one in the 1930s: She really must care about him, thought Scarlett in contempt. Sometimes truly excellent words are hidden away in the nooks and crannies of English, and this is the case with ettercap. Webster's New World Similar definitions The definition of a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition. What is the name for a female curmudgeon? Copyright 2023 Vocabulary.com, Inc., a division of IXL Learning Hey, dumbass! Hows that for greeting ones own son? The director of Pawnee Parks and Rec department may not have time for your bull, but hes got all the energy in the world for breakfast meat. I then set forth a list of criteria that might make one a codger. What is another word for curmudgeonly? These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Curmudgeon is a uni-sex term. What is a female curmudgeon called? The definition of a curmudgeon is a cranky, ill tempered individual. January 22, 2009. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, 50 Adjectives To Describe Personality: Find the Most Fitting Word.

Feeling 'bumfuzzled' or have the 'collywobbles'? Which certifies Tom and me both as codgers. The fool patch has a long and storied history, though it, too, has fallen out of modern use. gentleman. This grump also seemed to be informal: Hannah had the grumps, for being up late didn't suit her. Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, 1868.

The word is quite rare in general use, appearing only in some Scottish and northern British dialects: At least we can see the auld ettercap into the ground now, Christ be praised. Pat McIntosh, The Counterfeit Madam, 2011. Contemporary codgers, I reckoned, are people over 50 who have yet to come to terms with popular culture. female charm. Linguists think that this particular patch is not related to the scrap of cloth patch, but is a separate word that might have been influenced by an Italian dialect word for a fool, paccio. DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word, Scrooge, Grinch, and Churl: Wonderful Words for Unpleasant People, "Grinch, Scrooge, and Other Names for Curmudgeonly Characters". https://thesaurus.yourdictionary.com/curmudgeonly, Il tuo indirizzo email non sar pubblicato. And so it remained, even when grumps dropped its plural -s and was used to refer to a person in a foul mood.

Learn a new word every day. However, it is generally used almost exclusively to describe old men. Its a monosyllable we so associate with complaining that its a verb we use for complaining, as well as a noun we use to describe a complainer or a complaint. Crosspatch is neither a cutthroat (it does not cross your patches) nor a backstabber (it does not patch your cross), but a plain old compound of cross, meaning ill-tempered, and patch, which means fool. The word has mostly fallen out of modern use; the Oxford English Dictionary claims that the word was commonly applied to girls or women, though we do have evidence of ungendered use.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project. Help make Alexa smarter and share your knowledge with the world, Blog Todays woman has proved to be just as competent as men in the larger world. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. In ancient times, before power steering, a guy could steer his vehicle with one hand by making use of a rotating knob fastened to the wheel.

These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Sherri Forrester and Mary Paschol, both of Piedmont North Carolina, also wondered whether masculinity is a prerequisite for codgerhood. And over eight seasons, audiences tuned in less for his brains than for his shocking behavior, which could only be (partially) explained by the constant pain he suffered from a poorly healed leg wound. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It is an all-encompassing word for a person who finds no joy in life. What would be the equivalent word for a female codger? Sherri asked.

One of our oldest meanings of budget is to refer to a pouch or bag, and while this meaning is now mostly found in older works and in dialectal speech, it is the core meaning used in fussbudget. WebThe word refers to a person who worries or complains about small, trifling things, and if it has an old-fashioned ring to it, thats because it is a bit old-fashioned. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Ariel Sabar, Smithsonian Magazine, July/August 2015. 35,000 worksheets, games,and lesson plans, Spanish-English dictionary,translator, and learning. So I say call them codgers if they have earned the title. WebWhat is a female curmudgeon called? A surly, ill-mannered, bad-tempered person; cantankerous fellow. William Cowper, The Anatomy of a Christian Man, 1611.

Even skimming them makes me feel like a horrible curmudgeon. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Whats a female curmudgeon called? What is it with crotchety men and crappy armchairs? H.L. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But by the time grutch disappeared, the meaning of grudge had narrowed to refer to pain and resentment caused by a personal injury. The egotistical doc also played pranks and pitted his team against one another in ways that were anything but funny except to himself. To save this word, you'll need to log in. Send us feedback about these examples. The broader meanings of grutch were carried over to the new word, grouch. Thomas Chaloner, 1549. The American Heritage Dictionary defines a codger as a somewhat eccentric man, especially an old one., But, to be nonsexist about it, women can be somewhat eccentric, too, and they can even be old. A fussbudget is a person filled, like a bag, with complaints and crotchets over trivial things. Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms curmudgeon. One moose, two moose. He used it in Moby Dick and A Confidence-Man. Find similar words to curmudgeon using the buttons Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates? All Rights Reserved. Ive been called a curmudgeon before, and the title doesnt offend me. Codgerettes? From This has been suggested as the original form of the word, but English Dictionary OED notes that curmudgeon is attested some years before this, concluding that cornmudgin was merely a nonce-word by Holland. What does that indignity amount to, weighed, I mean, in the scales of the New Testament? Larry McMurtry, award-winning novelist who pierced myths of his native Texas, dies at 84. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. Instead, the former five-term congressman said, They just look at me as a maverick curmudgeon.. Help Center 5 Where did the word curmudgeon originate? Where did the idea of patriarchy come from? Many of them are archaic-sounding because of their structure, and possibly because they had their heyday in the 1600s. Relishing the role of curmudgeon, he observed that the open range had sprouted sprawling suburbia, that old barns and rustic windmills had given way to sleek glass towers thrusting skyward in several of the nations largest cities. I thought this illustration was a bit over the top. They have their own minds, values, and trends. WebFind 172 ways to say CURMUDGEON, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com, the world's most trusted free thesaurus. FBI Global Crossover Details: Whos Heading to Italy? WebNoun Filter noun A surly, ill-mannered, bad-tempered person; cantankerous fellow.

Don't worry though, youll know a curmudgeon when you see one: Hell be ill-tempered and miserly, eager to shake his fist and spout disagreeable opinions. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. WebAnswer (1 of 4): My aunt was a female curmudgeon. Can a woman be a curmudgeon? https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curmudgeon. Like Harrison Ford old, or only Idris Elba old? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Other Words from curmudgeon Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About curmudgeon. A Navy veteran, Red saw the disco world of the 70s as an affront to Americas greatness, and he hated letting anyone see his softer sidethough occasionally his pride did leak out, like when Eric and Donna (Laura Prepon) got engaged. Can you miss someone you were never with? Another reader, whose note flew off the moving truck as we moved away from the lake and closer to town, wondered whether a curmudgeon might be a rough equivalent of a codger. All rights reserved. Why does phosphorus exist as P4 and not p2? Accessed 5 Apr. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Since March is Womens History Month, weve been thinking a lot about the women who have had positive and lasting impacts on our lives and perhaps not surprisingly for a bunch of literary geeks like us, weve realized that many of them are fictional. All Rights Reserved. There was the surly old curmudgeon in whom the author vents his spleen, and who draws up eccentric wills. One goose, two geese. I want to receive exclusive email updates from YourDictionary. 1 What should I expect from a recruiter first call? noun. 2023. Where does Thigmotropism occur in plants? Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. An all-time favourite amongst the top inspiration fictional characters, Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling is also one of the strongest female characters in the world of fiction. Answers, {{ relativeTimeResolver(1639413187506) }}. In my view, a codger can be a curmudgeon and a curmudgeon can be a codger, but the two arent necessarily the same. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Il tuo indirizzo email non sar pubblicato. It might seem like etymologists are missing a key connection: there is another noun hunk that refers to a large piece of something (a hunk of bread). An old coot, according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is an eccentric or crotchety person, especially an eccentric old man. In other words, a codger and a curmudgeon combined. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Other Words from curmudgeon Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About curmudgeon. She was too happy to think that other people might consider Uncle Pinker a mean old curmudgeon. This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

Sometimes we even see it in print to represent the sound of discontent: grump, grump, grump. You could keep your arm around your female companion and still steer.. It was first used in print as a generic noun back in the 1500s: And by the faieth ye owe to the immortall godds, maie any thyng to an indifferent considrer be deemed more happie, and blisfull, than is this kynde of men whom commenly ye call fooles, doltes, ideotes and paches?

What are the differences between group & component? This rugged, pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps curmudgeon kept a shotgun on his desk and worshipped author Ayn Rand. And I guess shed be almost human if she ever had a husband of her own, even if her husband was old fuss-budget Frank. Margaret Mitchell, Gone With The Wind, 1936, Engert was enacting for me, in miniature, one of his favorite public personas: the rake in a comedy of manners, the charmer whose bad behavior is so finally harmless that only his accusers look foolish in the end. An example of a curmudgeon is a person who is always angry and never socializes with others. Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012. a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person. H.L. Women codgers want to be authentic codgers without sacrificing their feminine perks. If its on the bone or made of bacon, stay outta his way. If youre Red Forman (Kurtwood Smith), its a given. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, 17-year-old girl dies after shots are fired into social gathering in Greensboro, NC A&T notifies campus a week after man arrested there with weapons in car, 6-year-old struck by car, critically hurt, while trying to get on Guilford County school bus, Ex-Bank of America branch site sold in Greensboro, Angel Reese defends gesture toward Caitlin Clark after LSU title win, calls out double standard, With Greensboro's shelter village closed, it's back to the streets for some homeless, Rep. Brockman of High Point takes heat from his own party for absence at pistol permit vote, DA: No criminal charges for Greensboro police officer who fatally shot teen, Winston-Salem man dies after crash on I-85; charges pending against truck driver, police say, Logan denied Guilford school board seat again; escorted from meeting by police.

Interestingly enough, the word coppa became associated with spiders so much that it was sometimes used in Old English and Middle English to refer to spiders. The main protagonist of the novel Jane Eyre, the great classic by Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre is another revered female fictional character that you must know about! Old, cranky, and more than a little stubborn, a curmudgeon is the gruff, grey-haired neighbor who refuses to hand out candy at Halloween and shoos away holiday carolers with a "bah humbug!". Belongs in the crone category and defined as an ugly old woman. I definitely qualify!. Curmudgeons are usually cast as grumpy old men, along the lines of Walter Matthau or Andy Rooney. WebTo solve this analogy you need to determine which of these words might be used to describe a "female curmudgeon." That does not mean the curmudgeon is the ultimate man, it just means the qualities of a very feminine woman - delicacy, prettiness, warmth, softness, sweetness, sparkle - pretty well define what a curmudgeon is not.