truculent English · revision 1244

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtɹʌk.jʊ.lənt/ ''(UK)''; /ˈtɹʌk.jə.lənt/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|truculentus|t=fierce, savage, cruel]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''trux'' (genitive ''trucis'') “fierce, wild”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) which is of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster compares Middle Irish ''trú'' “doomed person”.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Fierce, cruel, savage (about 1540).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From 1850 the word was used of harsh, scathing speech or writing,^(OED 1989) and in modern use it most often means aggressively hostile or belligerent.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) The OED records a confused 19th-century use meaning “mean, mercenary”, by association with [[truckle]].^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1540 – fierce, savage.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1665 – of a disease, deadly, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1727 – ''truculence''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1850 – of speech, scathing.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Eager to fight or argue; [[belligerent]] or [[pugnacious]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Harshly critical; [[scathing]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Fierce, cruel or violent.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[truculently]]

+ * [[truculence]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[truculency]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House refers to ''fierce'' for a discussion of synonyms and gives ''amiable'' and ''gentle'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}