Make Your Point > Archived Issues > QUERULOUS

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pronounce QUERULOUS: Say it "KWAIR uh luss." It rhymes with "share a bus." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Today we're checking out the word querulous, which describes people who are whiny, complaining, whimpering, irritable, grouchy, grumpy, or c___ping ("complaining about unimportant stuff"). Can you recall that last synonym? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) definition: Our word "querulous" comes from the Latin queri, "to complain." Querulous people are always complaining. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Adjective: "her querulous voice;" "His email was querulous." Other common forms:  The adverb is "querulously." For a noun, the most common one is "querulousness." But you can also use "querulity" (pronounced "kwair RULE uh dee") or "querulosity" (pronounced "kwair yuh LOSS uh dee"). how to use it: When the words "whiny," "cranky," and "grouchy" are too informal, pick "querulous." Talk about querulous people, personalities, moods, voices, faces, comments, complaints, questions, demands, posts, articles, books, etc. examples: "Fatima... takes a querulous toddler on her lap to calm him with a piece of bread."    — Maria Petrakis, Los Angeles Times, 21 March 2016 "For all his superlative mental gifts, [Alexander Hamilton] was afflicted with a touchy ego that made him querulous and fatally combative."    — Ron Chernow, Alexander Hamilton, 2005 has this page helped you understand "querulous"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "querulous" without saying "fretful" or "both annoyed and annoying." try it out: In the Star Wars universe, Luke starts out querulous, then grows out of it. Same for Wesley Crusher on Star Trek. Talk about another fictional character who's querulous. What does this person whine or complain about? If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game for February is "Piece It Together." Use your knowledge of the given terms to define a related, ultra-rare term. For example, you could use your knowledge of CELLULAR and MULTUM IN PARVO ("a lot in a little") to define the ultra-rare PARVOCELLULAR as "small-celled." To see the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy! Try this one today:  Use PENUMBRA and NEOPHILIA to define UMBRIPHILOUS. review this word: 1. A close opposite of QUERULOUS is A. TYPICAL. B. EASYGOING. C. IMPRESSIONABLE. 2. Colbert's querulous tweets are always funny: "_____" A. It's so cold in New York this weekend, I think I might stay inside since last March. B. After these FBI arrests, just think of all the basements that moms will be able to redecorate. C. Excited to sit down with the Bidens tomorrow! Just as a test, I might throw in a little malarkey to see if he notices. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. A Answer to the game question: An UMBRIPHILOUS plant grows in the shade: it's "shade-loving." a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.