splenetic
Prone to outbursts
Splenetic means bad-tempered, irritable, or full of spite.
The word derives from the spleen, once believed to be the seat of melancholy and ill humor.
Someone in a splenetic mood is peevish and prone to outbursts: He wrote a splenetic letter to the editor.
The word is literary and somewhat old-fashioned, suggesting a temperament given to brooding resentment rather than brief flashes of anger.
Prone to outbursts
- peevishHabitually fretful
- cholericEasily provoked to anger
- testyShort-tempered, easily provoked
- petulantChildishly bad-tempered
cantankerous · querulous · fractious · cross · snappish · touchy · grumpy · cranky
Inclined toward reflective sorrow
- phlegmaticUnemotionally calm, slow-reacting
- sanguineCheerfully optimistic temperament
- cholericEasily provoked to anger
- black bileHumor causing gloom
four humors · temperament · disposition · constitution · medieval medicine · bodily humors
Bitterly antagonistic in tone
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- vitriolicHarshly bitter and corrosive
- mordantCuttingly critical in expression
- acerbicSharp and biting
sardonic · scathing · venomous · cutting · harsh · sharp · acid · trenchant
Marked by bitter resentment
- grudgingReluctant, resentful in giving
- maliciousMeaning to do harm
- spitefulWanting to hurt others
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
mean-spirited · hostile · malevolent · venomous · bitter · jaundiced · antagonistic · ill-disposed
Prone to sullenness
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- mercurialProne to sudden change
- capriciousSubject to sudden changes
- unpredictableCannot be anticipated
tempestuous · explosive · high-strung · overwrought · excitable · hot-tempered · fiery · passionate
irascible
Prone to outbursts
petulant · cantankerous · querulous · fractious · cross · snappish · touchy · grumpy · cranky · crabby
melancholic
Inclined toward reflective sorrow
- phlegmaticUnemotionally calm, slow-reacting
- sanguineCheerfully optimistic temperament
- cholericEasily provoked to anger
black bile · four humors · temperament · disposition · constitution · medieval medicine · bodily humors
acrimonious
Bitterly antagonistic in tone
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- vitriolicHarshly bitter and corrosive
- mordantCuttingly critical in expression
acerbic · sardonic · scathing · venomous · cutting · harsh · sharp · acid · trenchant · sarcastic
rancorous
Marked by bitter resentment
vindictive · mean-spirited · hostile · malevolent · venomous · bitter · jaundiced · antagonistic · ill-disposed · malignant
moody
Prone to sullenness
- volatileLiable to sudden change
- mercurialProne to sudden change
- capriciousSubject to sudden changes
unpredictable · tempestuous · explosive · high-strung · overwrought · excitable · hot-tempered · fiery · passionate · turbulent
- hot-temperedhotheaded, quick-tempered, hair-trigger, fiery, volatile
- irritabilitycranky, grouchy, grumpy, irritated, annoyed
spleneticgood-natured
Having a friendly temperament
good-tempered · amiable · even-tempered · good-humored · good-humoured