What does peevishness mean?
Peevishness means being irritable, cross, and quick to complain or take offence. It can refer to a temporary mood, as when a person becomes peevish after a long journey, or to a recurring personal trait, such as a child's peevishness when tired or hungry. The word often suggests not only anger but also complaint, impatience, and a readiness to be difficult over small matters. It is generally less severe than a fit of rage and less broadly clinical than a diagnosis of irritability. In everyday writing, peevishness conveys a familiar, mildly disapproving tone and is especially common in descriptions of children and people who are uncomfortable, exhausted, or inconvenienced.
nounThe state or quality of being peevish: irritable, cross, and easily angered. It refers both to a person's mood and to their tendency to respond with complaint or impatience.
- The condition of being irritable, cross, and easily annoyed.
- A display of temper expressed through complaint, impatience, or sulking.
"Her peevishness over the delay made the already tense meeting worse."
"The child answered the question with peevishness, crossing his arms and refusing to cooperate."
"A little patience and humor can defuse an atmosphere of peevishness in a crowded office."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon in ordinary use.
"The child expressed his peevishnesses through sulking and repeated complaints."
Peevishness is the art of turning a small inconvenience into a personal grievance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does peevishness come from?
Peevishness is formed from the adjective peevish by the addition of the noun-forming suffix -ness. The word peevish is an old English adjective associated with being cross or irritable, and it developed through Middle English and earlier English usage. Its related forms include the verb peeve, meaning to make someone annoyed or resentful. The exact source and early historical development of the adjective are less certain, so a narrower claim about its ultimate origin would be unsafe.
Related word forms
How peevishness is actually used
Peevishness is usually mildly disapproving and can describe either a temporary mood or a habitual trait. It is common in descriptions of children, tired travelers, and people responding to inconvenience.
Easily confused with peevishness
Peevishness is a general state of irritability or crossness, whereas petulance more specifically suggests sulking or demanding attention in a childish way.
Irritability is a broader trait or tendency to become annoyed easily, while peevishness can describe a particular mood or episode of being cross and complaining.