Dictionary

curmudgeon en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /kɜːˈmʌdʒ.ən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /kɚˈmʌd͡ʒ.ən/ (US)

Etymology

Numerous folk etymologies exist for this word. An alternative spelling attested in 1600 is cornmudgin, in Holland's translation of Livy, rendering Latin frūmentārius (“corn-merchant”). This has been suggested as the original form of the word, but OED notes that curmudgeon is attested some years before this, concluding that cornmudgin was merely a nonce-word by Holland. The word is attested from the late 1500s in the forms curmudgeon and curmudgen, and during the 17th century in numerous spelling variants, including cormogeon, cormogion, cormoggian, cormudgeon, curmudgion, curmuggion, curmudgin, curr-mudgin, curre-megient.

Meanings

1. An ill-tempered person full of stubborn ideas or opinions, often an older man.
   • How should I respond, without appearing to be a curmudgeon? 2007, The Times:
   • After a while, as cultural debates became more polarized, the editorial tone of the New Criterion went from being charmingly curmudgeon to being bitterly shrill. 1996, Jeet Heer, Gravitas, Autumn 1996:
   • Near-synonyms: crank, grump; grumpy pants (often childish), sourpuss, grouch
   • John Doe's old age and stubborn aversion to new ideas make him a curmudgeon of a candidate.
   • How to Be a Curmudgeon on the Internet 2006, The New York Times:
   • There's a cranky curmudgeon working at the hospital who gives all the patients and other doctors flak.
2. (archaic) A miser.

Forms

Deriveds

curmudgeonhood · curmudgeonous · curmudgeonry · curmudgeonly · curmudgeonish · curmudgeony · curmudgeonism

Synonyms

sourpuss · grumpy pants[w:child-directed speech|childish]]> · grouch · grump · crank

Translations (39)

nl iezegrim (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · ru грубия́н (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · ru грубия́нка (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · es cascarrabias (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pt casmurro (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · it burbero (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fr ganache (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · ru старый ворчун (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · sco Archie (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · cy gŵr crintach (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pt rabugento (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · cy cingroen (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fi äkämys (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · bg темерут (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pt caturra (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · eo grumblemulo (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · de Miesepeter (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · de Griesgram (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fi kääkkä (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · ko 꼰대 (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · mi porokaihākere (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · sh намћор (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · es testarudo (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pl zrzęda (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fr baderne (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fr bourru (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · sh namćor (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · fr rombière (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · eo grumblulo (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · cs mrzout (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pl gbur (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · pl mruk (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · mk намќор (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · cy cerlyn (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · cs bručoun (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · de Spielverderber (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · nl kankeraar (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · it musone (an ill-tempered stubborn person) · ja 意地の悪い人 (an ill-tempered stubborn person)

wikipedia: Philemon Holland