What does bratty mean?
Bratty is an informal adjective used to describe behavior that is spoiled, rude, and petulant — the kind of conduct associated with an indulged or badly behaved child. A bratty person whines, demands attention, refuses to cooperate, or throws tantrums when they do not get their way. Though most commonly applied to children (a bratty toddler, a bratty little brother), the word can also be used playfully or critically of adults who act entitled or childish. It derives from 'brat', a noun that originally referred to a ragged or shabbily dressed child before narrowing to mean a spoiled or annoying one. The tone is mildly derogatory rather than harsh, and it is common in everyday speech across British and American English. Related forms include the adverb 'brattily' and the noun 'brattiness', allowing speakers to describe both the manner and the general quality of such behavior.
adjective(Of a child or someone behaving childishly) irritatingly spoiled, ill-mannered, and inclined to tantrums or whining.
- Behaving in a spoiled, ill-mannered, or petulant way, like an unruly child; characteristic of a brat.
"Her bratty outburst in the toy store embarrassed everyone around her."
"The toddler threw a bratty fit when she couldn't have another cookie."
"He gave a bratty eye-roll when his parents asked him to help with dinner."
'Brat' once meant a ragged, shabbily dressed child — so calling someone bratty is literally calling them a little ragamuffin.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bratty
Bratty is formed by adding the adjective suffix '-y' to 'brat', a Middle English word first recorded in the early 16th century meaning a ragged, shabby, or beggar's child. The origin of 'brat' itself is uncertain, though some scholars connect it to dialectal words for rags or tattered clothing. The sense shifted from poor or unkempt child to a spoiled or annoyingly self-centered child, and 'bratty' emerged as the natural adjectival form to describe behavior typical of such a child. The related noun 'brat' shares this root, while words like 'brother' and 'brethren' are distant Germanic relatives.
Related word forms
How bratty is actually used
Informal and mildly derogatory. Most often applied to children, but can be used humorously or affectionately for adults acting childish or demanding. The noun 'brat' is more common overall; 'bratty' is chiefly adjectival.
Easily confused with bratty
A bratwurst is a type of German sausage, unrelated in meaning to bratty despite the shared 'brat' spelling.