the.com/sourpuss
A face that filed a permanent complaint against joy.
means Someone with a habitually grumpy, sulky expression or disposition — a chronic malcontent in facial form.
from A straightforward compound from 'sour' (bitter, unpleasant in mood) plus 'puss,' old slang for 'face,' likely borrowed from the Irish word 'pus' meaning mouth or lip. The combination surfaced in American English in the early 20th century, giving a sour disposition a face to wear.
- origin
- sour plus puss, old slang for face
- first recorded
- 1930s American slang
- related term
- puss comes from Irish word pus, lips
- usage note
- describes mood, not just expression