Definition

Describing someone who is bad-tempered, irritable, or difficult to please.

Example

My curmudgeonly neighbor always complains about the noise from the children playing outside.

Conversation

Have you noticed how curmudgeonly Mr. Thompson has been lately?

Yeah, he seems to grumble about everything these days.

I wonder what’s bothering him so much; he wasn’t always this curmudgeonly.

Maybe he just needs to find a new hobby or something to lighten up.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Curmudgeonly is derived from the word 'curmudgeon' (origin uncertain, possibly from the 17th century, with roots in Old French 'cormorche' meaning a miser or greedy person). The suffix '-ly' (meaning in the manner of) is added to describe someone who behaves like a curmudgeon. Thus, 'curmudgeonly' refers to someone who behaves in a miserly or grumpy manner, akin to a curmudgeon.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'curmudgeon' as someone who is grumpy or miserly, and remember that 'curmudgeonly' describes someone acting in that same grumpy manner.

Visually Confused Words