Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Bitter, long-lasting resentment; deep-seated ill will.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Sourness; bitterness.
  • noun Rankling malice or spitefulness; bitter animosity; in general, a soured or cankered disposition, inciting to vindictive action or speech; a nourished hatred or grudge.
  • noun Synonyms Asperity, Harshness, etc. (see acrimony), Illwill, Enmity, etc. (see animosity), gall, spleen, spite, spitefulness, rankling, hate, hatred, malevolence, bad blood.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated enmity or malice; inveterate hatred.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The deepest malignity or spite; deep-seated enmity or malice; inveterate hatred.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin, rancid smell, from Latin rancēre, to stink, be rotten.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Early 13th century, from Old French rancor, from Latin rancor ("rancidity, grudge, rancor"), from ranceō ("be rotten or putrid, stink"), from which also English rancid.

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