Phrase guide

out of sorts

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

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1

adj

Meaning 1

Irritable or somewhat unwell, with vague medical symptoms.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

With some letters or sorts of type deficient or exhausted in the case or font.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated

Topics: media, printing, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Comes from printing terminology where "sort" means a metal type for printing a particular letter.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: pioc — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Czech: ne ve své kůži — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Dutch: uit zijn element — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Hungarian: rosszul — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Hungarian: rossz passzban — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Icelandic: vera illa fyrir kallaður — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Icelandic: vellulegur — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Italian: fuori fase — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Māori: maninohea — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Polish: nie w sosie — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Portuguese: indisposto — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Portuguese: de mal humor — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Spanish: indispuesto — irritable or somewhat unwell
  • Spanish: pachucho — irritable or somewhat unwell