cantankerous [kăn`tāng.kur.əs] adjective.

1. Quarrelsome; contentious.
2. Difficult to control or handle.

[Wiltshire English, possibly alteration of Middle English contakour, rogue fr. Anglo-Norman contec, conflict fr. Old French contechier: con, with & teche, fr. estachier, to attach, cf. English attach; attache, possibly fr. a, to, at & Frankish *stakon, a post, a stake, cf. English stake]