passive-aggressive

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word passive-aggressive. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word passive-aggressive, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say passive-aggressive in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word passive-aggressive you have here. The definition of the word passive-aggressive will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofpassive-aggressive, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology

From 1940s,[1][2] after passive aggression.

Pronunciation

Adjective

passive-aggressive (comparative more passive-aggressive, superlative most passive-aggressive)

  1. (psychology) Showing passive, sometimes obstructionist resistance to following authoritative instructions in interpersonal or occupational situations.
  2. Showing covert hostility, intending to cause annoyance or to humiliate, while maintaining a transparent (to the recipient) veneer of politeness.
    • 2012 August 5, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993)”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎:
      “I Love Lisa” opens with one of my favorite underappreciated running jokes from The Simpsons: the passive-aggressive, quietly contentious relationship of radio jocks Bill and Marty, whose mindless happy talk regularly gives way to charged exchanges that betray the simmering resentment and disappointment perpetually lingering just under the surface of their relationship.
    • 2015 February 19, Dean Burnett, “OK, don't read this article about passive-aggressive behaviour. Honestly, it's fine”, in The Guardian‎, →ISSN:
      Curt texts, unanswered emails, Facebook statuses declaring “someone” to be an idiot, the notorious subtweet; if you can communicate with it, people can be passive aggressive with it. No doubt there were frosty telegrams in centuries gone by.

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References

  1. ^ “passive-aggressive, adj.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. "Origin 1940s after passive aggression."
  2. ^ “passive-aggressive”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. "First Known Use of passive-aggressive 1945, in the meaning defined above"

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia