Standard Lemma guide

grouchy

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɡɹaʊt͡ʃi/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aʊtʃi
  • CMU ARPABET: G R AW1 CH IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • His boss gets grouchy when deadlines draw near.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

annoyed and irritable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: crabbed, crabby, cross, fussy, grumpy, bad-tempered, ill-tempered

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

US 1895. From grouch + -y. Originally US college student slang.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: knorrig — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Dutch: prikkelbaar — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Dutch: kwaad — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Finnish: ärtyisä — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • French: grincheux — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • German: genervt — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Greek: κακότροπος (kakótropos) — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Ancient Greek: δύσκολος (dúskolos) — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Japanese: 不機嫌な (fukigen-na) — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Latin: ācriculus — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: ārita — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: āritarita — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: kiriweti — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: kirikawa — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: pukukino — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Māori: whanewhane — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Plautdietsch: brumsch — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Portuguese: irritado — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Portuguese: reclamão — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Portuguese: mal humorado — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Russian: ворчливый (vorčlivyj) — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Scots: crabbit — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Scottish Gaelic: crosta — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Scottish Gaelic: gruamach — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Spanish: malhumorado — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Spanish: gruñón — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain
  • Spanish: refunfuñón — irritable; easily upset; angry; tending to complain