PETULANT

Pet″u‐lant (?), a. [[L. petulans, -antis, prop., making slight attacks upon, from a lost dim. of petere to fall upon, to attack: cf. F. pétulant. See Petition.]] 1. 1. Forward; pert; insolent; wanton. Burton.
2. 2. Capriciously fretful; characterized by ill-natured freakishness; irritable. “Petulant moods.” Macaulay.
Syn. — Irritable; ill-humored; peevish; cross; fretful; querulous.