noun
rancor
RANG-kuh
noun
1
A deep, lasting bitterness or resentment toward someone, often from a perceived wrong.
"Years after the divorce, there was still rancor between them."
"He spoke about his old rival without any rancor at all."
How to Use Rancor
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA lingering feeling of bitterness or ill will.
UK vs US
Spelled "rancour" in British English, "rancor" in American English.
Common pairings
bitter rancor
without rancor
harbor rancor
Word Forms
rancored past tense, rancors plural, rancors singular
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Years after the divorce, there was still _____ between them.
Etymology
From Old French rancor, from Latin rancor, "rancidity" or "grudge" — the same root that gives us "rancid."