cantankerosity meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

cantankerosity

noun

Etymology From cantanker(ous) + -osity.

The quality of being cantankerous.

Sir, the gentleman from South Carolina [Mr. Keitt] made a speech, and if I may be allowed to coin a word, I will say it had more cantankerosity in it than any speech I ever heard on this floor.1856, Defence of Massachusetts. Speech of Hon. Anson Burlingame, of Massachusetts, in the United States House of Representatives, June 21, 1856., Cambridge, Mass.: Printed for private distribution, pages 21–22:
“This is a case for phlebotomy.” / “I’ll phlebotomize you!” retorted Vie, irascibly. / “Worse and worse Strong indications of internal cantankerosity, requiring an immediate application of Croton oil and ipecacuanha, infused in an oyster stew, to be superseded by a nicotine fumigation.1871 September, Hester Earle, ““With what Measure ye Mete.””, in Ballou’s Monthly Magazine, volume XXXIV, number 3 (whole 201), part third, chapter VII (Filling the Vacancy), page 222, column 1:

4 more examples

The French philosophers call this transcendental, but a simpler and more befitting name is that of cantankerosity. […] A curious case of peculiar cantankerosity is related by Nordenskold in the account of one of his wonderful voyages. […] To have the means of prosperous wholesome life in hand, and to prefer the favourite diet that would certainly kill, is surely an instance of moral cantankerosity as much as the man who, according to Mr. Samuel Weller’s legend, ate the three shillingsworth of muffins and blew his brains out. […] I humbly think that this is a case of mental cantankerosity.1880 December, “On Angularities and Cantankerousness”, in London Society. An Illustrated Magazine of Light and Amusing Literature for the Hours of Relaxation., volume XXXVIII, number CCXXVIII, London: […], pages 538–540:
It is a sad and astounding fact to relate, but even in literary life we meet with instances of cantankerosity.1881 January 15, Sacramento Daily Record-Union, volume XII, number 126, Sacramento, Calif., page [7], column 3:
But we cannot disguise from ourselves that the actual course of events at the time was greatly influenced by Mr. Tayler’s “cantankerosity.”1883 February 3, The Academy. A Weekly Review of Literature, Science, and Art., volume XXIII, number 561, London: Publishing Office: […], page 77, column 2:
The bald-headed snoozer who has been working the physic racket in this metropolis for some six weeks under the nom de syringe of Dr. Hanson has a bad case of cantankerosity of the disposition, and the disease does not appear to yield to any of his ordinary methods of malpractice.1885 August 29, “Voices from the Interior”, in The Wasp, San Francisco, Calif., page 3, column 1:

Rare Someone or something that is cantankerous.

His whole life is one prolonged cantankerosity.1880 December, “On Angularities and Cantankerousness”, in London Society. An Illustrated Magazine of Light and Amusing Literature for the Hours of Relaxation., volume XXXVIII, number CCXXVIII, London: […], page 538, column 1:
One writer refers to certain purists as “antieverythingarians”; another speaks of the “cantankerosities” of ill-natured people; while still another characterises mankind, truly enough, as “mammonolaters.”1888 October 20, Acus [pseudonym], “Points”, in The Dominion Illustrated: A Canadian Pictorial Weekly, volume I, number 16, Montreal, Que.; Toronto, Ont., page 243, column 2:

4 more examples

As some ancient philosopher said of man, “It has its peculiarities, angularities, cantankerosities and idiosyncrasies,” and it also has its better qualities, such as spare-ribs, back[-]bones, sausages, souse, pigs feet and chitterlings.1891 April 15, Tom Sawyer [pseudonym], “Possibilities of the Razor-Back”, in The Florida Agriculturist: A Journal Devoted to State Interests, volume XVIII, number 15 (whole 674), DeLand, Fla., page 210, column 3:
An’ gin that wadna cure his appetite for all sich cantankerosities, I’d supplement the fire wi’ a gude birch rod: See Proverbs twinty-third an’ fourteenth: ‘Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt save his soul from hell.’ ”1896, B[arnas] Freeman Ashley, “Introduces Don Donalds”, in Air Castle Don; Or, From Dreamland To Hardpan (The Young America Series), Chicago, Ill.: Laird & Lee, page 14:
Behind him sat Critic A, one of the elderly cantankerosities already referred to, who should have given up the job years before (he is now dead, so no offence to present company).1948 July 21, A. P. H., “Letter to a Young Man”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume CCXV, number 5614, page 63, column 1:
So would she leave him for a younger man? “God forgive you, it’s a sin. I could just do without Alf being such a cantankerosity most of the time.[…]”1993 September 13, Stephen Kingston, quoting Audrey Bradshaw (fictional character), “Sex, style and sugar butties”, in Manchester Evening News, page 8, column 5: