obstropulous

English

Alternative forms

• obstropalous, obstropolous

Etymology

Modification of obstreperous after words ending in -ulous.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɒbˈstɹɒp.jʊl.əs/, /ɒbˈstɹɒp.əl.əs/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɑbˈstɹɑp.jəl.əs/, /ɑbˈstɹɑp.əl.əs/

Adjective

obstropulous (comparative more obstropulous, superlative most obstropulous)

1. (UK, obsolete, slang) Synonym of obstreperous
   • 1748, Samuel Richardson, Clarissa Harlowe‎^[1], volume IX:

     And you know, Jack (as we told him, moreover), that it was a shame to manhood, for a man, who had served twenty and twenty women as bad or worse, let him have served Miss Harlowe never so bad, should give himself such obstropulous airs, because she would die […]

   • 1977, Goodbye Mr Grainger (Are You Being Served?), season 5, episode 6, spoken by Mrs Slocombe (Mollie Sugden):

     He was thoroughly obstropulous to me last week!

Derived terms

• obstropulousness