Pronunciation: /ˈtɛtʃi/

Definitions of tetchy

adjective easily irritated or annoyed

Example Sentences

A1 She gets tetchy when she's hungry.

A2 The tetchy customer complained about the slow service.

B1 His tetchy mood was starting to affect the whole team.

B2 The professor's tetchy response to questions made the students nervous.

C1 The CEO's tetchy behavior was a result of the stress from the upcoming merger.

C2 Despite his tetchy demeanor, he was actually a very kind and generous person.

Examples of tetchy in a Sentence

formal The professor was known to be tetchy when students interrupted his lectures.

informal Don't be so tetchy, I was just asking a question.

slang She's always so tetchy in the mornings before she's had her coffee.

figurative The atmosphere in the office was tetchy, with everyone on edge waiting for the boss's decision.

Grammatical Forms of tetchy

past tense

tetched

plural

tetchies

comparative

more tetchy

superlative

most tetchy

present tense

tetches

future tense

will tetch

perfect tense

have tetched

continuous tense

is tetching

singular

tetchy

positive degree

tetchy

infinitive

to tetch

gerund

tetching

participle

tetching

Origin and Evolution of tetchy

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'tetchy' originated from the Middle English word 'tacche', meaning 'bad-tempered' or 'touchy'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'tetchy' has retained its original meaning of being easily irritated or annoyed, but has also come to be used more broadly to describe someone who is easily provoked or sensitive.