shirty

If someone is being shirty, they are acting grumpy, touchy, or quick to snap. It does not mean they are upset about clothing. It simply describes a person who sounds annoyed or behaves in a rude, tense way. You might say your grandpa gets shirty when he cannot find his reading glasses, or that a customer became shirty after waiting too long. This word is especially common in British English.

It is an informal word, so you would not usually use it in very formal writing. It fits those everyday moments when someone is clearly in a bad mood and answers more sharply than they need to.

"Shirty" is an informal adjective used to describe someone who is irritable, bad-tempered, or easily annoyed. It is mainly a British English word and usually suggests a general mood of grumpiness rather than strong anger. Someone who is being shirty is not necessarily furious; they are more likely to answer sharply, complain, or react badly to small problems.

Think of it as a low-level state of annoyance that shows itself in short, sharp replies. You might say, "He was feeling a bit shirty this morning because he had not had his coffee yet," or "Don't get shirty with me just because you're tired!" It implies that the person is being unnecessarily difficult and is not especially pleasant to be around at that moment.

While it remains most common in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, it is sometimes heard elsewhere as well. It is important to note that "shirty" does not describe why someone is annoyed, only how they are behaving. A person might be shirty because of a bad day at work, a lack of sleep, stress, or simple impatience.

So, if you meet someone who seems unusually prickly and quick to take offense over very little, chances are they are feeling a bit shirty. It is a colorful, everyday way to describe that familiar state of mild irritation that often comes out in a person's tone and manner.