protervity

noun

pro·​ter·​vi·​ty

prəˈtərvətē

plural -es

1

: a petulant manner : peevishness

2

: insolent sauciness

Word History

Etymology

Latin protervitas, from protervus forward, bold, impudent, flighty (probably alteration of protervus, from pro- forward + -ptervus —akin to Greek petesthai to fly) + -itas -ity

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!