Dudgeon
/ˈdʌdʒən/noun
A feeling of resentment or offense, especially in the phrase "in high dudgeon."
Did you know?The exact origin of *dudgeon* is uncertain, but by the 16th century it was already being used for a sulky, angry state—long before it became famous in the phrase "in high dudgeon."
Etymological Timeline
16th Century
English
dudgeon
“A state of offense, resentment, or ill humor; also, in some early uses, a kind of wood used for dagger hilts.”
16th–17th Century
English
high dudgeon
“A heightened state of angry dignity or offended resentment.”
Origin uncertain
Unknown
dudgeon
“Possibly connected to a word for a dagger hilt or a kind of hard wood, though the historical link is not secure.”
Modern English
English
dudgeon
“Resentful anger or offended displeasure, chiefly in the phrase "in high dudgeon."”
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