Standard Lemma guide

quarrelsome

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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈkwɒɹəlsəm/
  • General-American: kwôrʹəlsəm
  • General-American: /ˈkwɔɹəlsəm/
  • New-York-City: kwŏrʹəlsəm
  • New-York-City: /ˈkwɑɹəlsəm/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Mid-Atlantic, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒɹəlsəm
  • CMU ARPABET: K W AO1 R AH0 L S AH0 M Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Argumentative; fond of or prone to quarreling.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • She's too quarrelsome to participate in a civil conversation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: belligerent, combative, contentious, litigious

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

given to quarreling

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • arguing children
  • quarrelsome when drinking

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From quarrel + -some.

Across languages

Translations

68 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Amharic: ነገረኛ (nägäräña) — given to quarreling
  • Bulgarian: свадлив (svadliv) — given to quarreling
  • Czech: hádavý — given to quarreling
  • Dutch: twistziek — given to quarreling
  • Dutch: ruzieachtig — given to quarreling
  • Esperanto: kverelema — given to quarreling
  • Finnish: riitaisa — given to quarreling
  • Finnish: räyhäkäs — given to quarreling
  • Finnish: toraisa — given to quarreling
  • French: querelleux — given to quarreling
  • French: querelleur — given to quarreling
  • Georgian: მოჩხუბარი (močxubari) — given to quarreling
  • Georgian: ჩხუბის თავი (čxubis tavi) — given to quarreling
  • German: streitsüchtig — given to quarreling
  • German: zänkisch — given to quarreling
  • German: unverträglich — given to quarreling
  • German: zanksüchtig — given to quarreling
  • German: händelsüchtig — given to quarreling
  • German: hadersüchtig — given to quarreling
  • German: streitlustig — given to quarreling
  • Greek: κακότροπος (kakótropos) — given to quarreling
  • Hungarian: veszekedős — given to quarreling
  • Irish: achrannach — given to quarreling
  • Irish: clamprach — given to quarreling
  • Irish: imreasach — given to quarreling
  • Irish: cointinneach — given to quarreling
  • Irish: trodach — given to quarreling
  • Irish: anglánta — given to quarreling
  • Irish: argánta — given to quarreling
  • Irish: bruíonach — given to quarreling
  • Māori: pākani — given to quarreling
  • Māori: tumatuma — given to quarreling
  • Māori: nihoniho — given to quarreling
  • Māori: pakapaka — given to quarreling
  • Māori: ngaweri — given to quarreling
  • Māori: toheriri — given to quarreling
  • Norwegian Bokmål: trettekjær — given to quarreling
  • Norwegian Bokmål: kranglevoren — given to quarreling
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: trettekjær — given to quarreling
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: kranglevoren — given to quarreling
  • Polish: swarliwy — given to quarreling
  • Polish: kłótliwy — given to quarreling
  • Polish: awanturniczy — given to quarreling
  • Russian: сварливый (svarlivyj) — given to quarreling
  • Russian: склочный (skločnyj) — given to quarreling
  • Scottish Gaelic: connsachail — given to quarreling
  • Scottish Gaelic: connspaideach — given to quarreling
  • Scottish Gaelic: dranndanach — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: rijoso — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: pleitista — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: leguleyo — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: porfiador — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: quilombero — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: picapleitos — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: querelloso — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: querellante — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: querellador — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: pendenciero — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: camorrista — given to quarreling
  • Spanish: peleón — given to quarreling
  • Swedish: grälsjuk — given to quarreling
  • Tagalog: palabangay — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: cwerylgar — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: ffraegar — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: cecrus — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: cynhennus — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: ymrafaelgar — given to quarreling
  • Welsh: ymrysongar — given to quarreling
Real reading context

quarrelsome in complete knowledge articles