Definitions for captious

• Definition
• Anagrams (390)

captious cap·tious

Spelling: [kap-shuh s]

IPA: /ˈkæp ʃəs/

Captious is a 8 letter English word. It's valid Scrabble word worth 12 points. It's valid Words with friends word worth 15 points.

You can make 390 anagrams from letters in captious (aciopstu).

Definitions for captious

adjective

1. apt to notice and make much of trivial faults or defects; faultfinding; difficult to please.
2. proceeding from a faultfinding or caviling disposition:
3. apt or designed to ensnare or perplex, especially in argument:

Origin of captious

1350-1400; Middle English capcious Latin captiōsus sophistical, equivalent to capti(ō) a taking, hence, sophism (see caption) + -ōsus Examples for captious

Mr. Canning, "exceedingly irritated," complained of the word "captious."

I cannot afford to be irritable and captious, nor to waste all my time in attacks.

Cicily Hamilton was inclined to be captious with her maid as she dressed that evening.

He is critical, but not captious; laudatory, but not fulsome.

If one were captious, one might object to the thickness of his lips.

Here was no caprice or questionings or captious standards of convention.

They are captious, fond of litigation, and constantly seeking subterfuges.

Sewell, however, was no captious critic; he took what he got, and was thankful.

What a captious old woman will my sister make, if she lives to be one!

"There, you hear that," said Lawless, who had just drunk enough to render him captious and obstinate.