petulant
UK[ˈpetʃələnt]US[ˈpetʃələnt]
adj
(of a person or their manner) childishly sulky or bad-tempered.
Etymology
the word 'petulant' entered english in the late 16th century from the latin adjective 'petulant-', 'petulans', meaning 'wanton', 'impudent', or 'insolent'. this latin term is derived from the verb 'petere', meaning 'to aim at', 'to seek', or 'to attack', which carries a sense of forwardness and aggression. over time, the meaning softened from describing outright insolence to capturing a more childish, peevish, and unreasonably irritable disposition, reflecting a less severe but still forward and unpleasantly assertive form of bad temper.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword from latin. it is not productively formed from separable english morphemes.
Examples
the long delay made the customers petulant and difficult to please.
he dismissed her criticism with a petulant wave of his hand.
tired children often become petulant.