Where does “petulance” come from?
Petulance comes from Middle French pétulance, meaning an inclination to quarrel or irritability.
petulance (English): Rudeness, insolence; An insolent remark or act;...
Definitions
- Rudeness, insolence; An insolent remark or act;...
Ancestry of “petulance”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | pétulance | — |
| 2 | Latin | petulantia | impudence; wantonness; petulance |
| 3 | Latin | petulans | pert, saucy, impudent, wanton; freakish; petulant |
| 4 | Latin | petulō | — |
| 5 | Latin | petō | to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire, petition, entreat |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂eti | to fly |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |