What does rancour mean?
Rancour means bitter resentment, hostility, or enduring ill will, especially in a conflict involving personal, political, or social disagreements. Unlike a brief feeling of annoyance, it suggests anger that has become deeply entrenched and continues to shape attitudes or behaviour. The word is commonly used in formal contexts such as political reporting, diplomacy, and discussion of family or communal disputes. "Rancour" is the traditional British spelling, while "rancor" is standard in American English. The related adjective "rancorous" describes speech, attitudes, or conduct marked by this bitterness. Because it conveys sustained and often destructive hostility, rancour is stronger and more solemn than words such as "annoyance" or "grudge," though it can be close in meaning to "bitterness" and "resentment."
nounBitter, resentful ill will or hostility directed toward another person or group. It implies a lasting sense of anger or dislike, often associated with a past grievance.
- Bitter resentment or hostile ill will felt toward another person or group
"The dispute between the two neighbours was marked by years of quiet rancour."
"The announcement was welcomed without rancour, despite months of disagreement."
"Her speech was measured, but years of personal rancour were audible beneath it."
The plural is grammatically regular but uncommon in ordinary use.
"Old rivalries can generate rancours that last for generations."
Rancour is the cold, enduring anger that remains long after the original argument has ended.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rancour come from?
The word comes through Old French from Latin rancor, meaning "rancidity" or a disagreeable smell, and its sense evolved from physical sourness to figurative bitterness. English began using it in the figurative sense in the late medieval or early modern period. The related form "rancorous" developed from the same Latin root and came to mean hostile or resentful, while the American spelling "rancor" reflects a later simplification of the traditional British spelling.
Related word forms
How rancour is actually used
The word is formal and generally carries a strongly negative, often political or interpersonal connotation. In contemporary British English, "rancour" is the standard spelling; American English more often uses "rancor".
Easily confused with rancour
"Rancor" is the usual American spelling, while "rancour" is the traditional British spelling; both nouns mean bitter resentment or ill will.