cranky
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Foolish, idiotic, rickety, capricious (not confined to persons). Ancient cant, CRANKE, simulated sickness. German, KRANK, sickly. A CRANK or CRANKY vessel is one which pitches very much.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cranky” mean?
Foolish, idiotic, rickety, capricious (not confined to persons). Ancient cant, CRANKE, simulated sickness. German, KRANK, sickly. A CRANK or CRANKY vessel is one which pitches very much.
Is “cranky” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.