crossness

C3R1O1S1S1N1E1S1S1

noun

the state of being cross; mild anger

Similar
irritabilityfretfulnessfussinesspeevishnesspetulancecholercrabbinesscrabbedness
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Meanings

nouncrossness (countable and uncountable, plural crossnesses)

plural crossnesses

  1. countableuncountablethe state of being cross; mild anger

    Elizabeth […] wished he were beside her, and was so glad to think he would soon be beside her always, with all his humours and weaknesses, all his little crossnesses and complainings[…]

    1863, Dinah Maria Craik, Mistress and maid
    1 more example

    At any other time Jessamy would have laughed at the expressions that chased each other over his freckled face: crossness left over from his struggle with the baby; incredulity; distress; and finally delight.

    1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 122

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan irritable petulant feeling

Similar
irritabilityfretfulnessfussinesspeevishnesspetulancecholer
Broader
ill humorill humourdistemper

nouna disposition to be ill-tempered

Similar
crabbinesscrabbedness
Broader
ill nature
Also see
cholercrabbednesscrabbinessfretfulnessfussinessirritabilitypeevishnesspetulance

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From cross + -ness.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

crossness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossness

MLA

“crossness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossness. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crossness,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossness.

Source: crossness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.