rebarbative

[prettygoodword]

rebarbative (ree-BAHR-buh-tiv) - adj., repellant; causing aversion, annoyance, or irritation.


Nothing to do with hooks or spines, but rather facial hair: adopted in the 1890s from French rébarbatif, from Middle French rebarber, to oppose/stand up to, from Old French se rebarber, to stand beard to beard against, from re- + barbe, beard, from Latin barba, beard. So the image is of a medieval guy with unkempt chin pushing up against your personal space -- that kind of repellant. Of course, I see it used of things like prose style, so what do I know.

---L.

Comments

[thistleingrey.livejournal.com]

used of things like prose style

Perhaps à la "barbaric"?

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I've usually gotten a sense of "spiky" myself.

---L.