Ornery

Pronunciation: /ˈɔrnəri/

Definitions of ornery

adjective having a difficult and contrary disposition

Example Sentences

A1 The ornery cat hissed at anyone who came near.

A2 The ornery old man refused to help anyone with their groceries.

B1 The ornery customer complained about every little detail of the meal.

B2 Despite his ornery attitude, he was still respected by his colleagues for his expertise.

C1 Her ornery behavior was a result of years of frustration and disappointment.

C2 The ornery professor was known for his sharp wit and demanding teaching style.

Examples of ornery in a Sentence

formal The ornery old man refused to speak to anyone at the nursing home.

informal My ornery cat always hisses at strangers who come near.

slang That ornery customer gave the waiter a hard time for no reason.

figurative The storm clouds looked ornery, as if they were ready to unleash their fury at any moment.

Grammatical Forms of ornery

• past tense: orneryed
• plural: orneries
• comparative: more ornery
• superlative: most ornery
• present tense: is ornery
• future tense: will be ornery
• perfect tense: has been ornery
• continuous tense: is being ornery
• singular: ornery
• positive degree: ornery
• infinitive: to be ornery
• gerund: being ornery
• participle: ornerying

Origin and Evolution of ornery

First Known Use: 1830 year

Language of Origin: American English

Story behind the word: The word 'ornery' is believed to have originated from the dialectal American English term 'ordinary', which was used to describe something common or plain.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the meaning of 'ornery' has shifted from 'ordinary' to 'stubborn', 'mean-spirited', or 'irritable'. It is now commonly used to describe someone who is difficult or bad-tempered.