Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Resembling or characteristic of Thersites, a scurrilous character in Homer's Iliad; hence, grossly abusive; scurrilous; foul-mouthed.

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

  • adjective Scurrilous, grossly defamatory.
  • adjective Caustic, obscenely and tactlessly abusive.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

After Thersites, a minor character in the Illiad who slandered and mocked Achilles.

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Examples

  • Robert Craft replies: Richard Taruskin, the meticulous scholar I first met eight years ago and through correspondence came to know and like, has lately turned into a sloppy, thersitical journalist, more judgmental than Dr. Johnson.

    'Jews and Geniuses': An Exchange Taruskin, Richard F. 1989

  • I've had enough of serving as negative pole for every thersitical machine on this ship.

    The Black Hole Foster, Alan Dean 1979

  • "As these thersitical traducers are no doubt aware, I am not without resources.

    Icerigger Foster, Alan Dean, 1946- 1974

Comments

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  • Scurrilous; foulmouthed; grossly abusive.

    January 14, 2008

  • from Thersites in Book II of the Iliad.

    July 5, 2008