Crankiness
/ˈkræŋ.ki.nəs/noun
The state of being irritable or easily annoyed.
Did you know?Although modern English treats it as just “bad mood,” crank comes from older Germanic words for something bent or crooked, and the word’s emotional sense grew from the idea of a mind or temper that’s turned askew.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*krankaz
“bent, crooked, weak”
Old English
OE
cranc
“bent, twisted, or fragile”
Middle English
ME
cranke
“crooked; later, lively or capricious”
Late 18th Century
English
crank
“a bent piece of metal used to turn motion; also a person with odd or irritable behavior”
19th Century
English
cranky
“irritable, peevish, or testy”
Modern English
English
crankiness
“the quality of being irritable or bad-tempered”
Explore more surprising origins