hargneux
aggressive, belligerent, snappy
adjective ar-NYUH Rare
Usage Note
Hargneux describes a person or animal that is perpetually aggressive, hostile, and quick to snap. The feminine is hargneuse. The noun hargne means ill temper or spite. Often used of dogs or difficult colleagues.
Examples
"Ce chien est hargneux avec les étrangers."
Natural Translation
This dog is aggressive with strangers.

Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic