orneriness

adjective, or·ner·i·er, or·ner·i·est. Dialect.

1. ugly and unpleasant in disposition or temper: No one can get along with my ornery cousin.
2. stubborn: I can’t do a thing with that ornery mule.
3. low or vile.
4. inferior or common; ordinary.

adjective US and Canadian dialect, or informal

1. stubborn or vile-tempered
2. low; treacherousan ornery trick
3. ordinary

adj.1816, American English dialectal contraction of ordinary (adj.). “Commonplace,” hence “of poor quality, coarse, ugly.” By c.1860 the sense had evolved to “mean, cantankerous.” Related: Orneriness.