Dictionary

clingy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈklɪŋi/

Etymology

Etymology tree English cling Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English clingy From cling + -y.

Meanings

1. Having a tendency to cling.
   • I conceded I might have slightly mollified if it had been Wendy Rieger in that clingy leopard skin blouse she wears on Channel 4. 2003, Tony Kornheiser, I'm Back for More Cash (Because You Can't Take Two Hundred Newspapers into the Bathroom), page 255:
   • a clingy minidress
2. (derogatory, informal, usually) Attached to, or possessive of someone, usually a significant other.
   • a clingy ex-girlfriend who won't stop calling
   • Near-synonym: needy

Forms

Deriveds

clingily · unclingy · clinginess

Synonyms

needy · overattached (possessive over a lover) · clinging (all) · close-fitting

Translations (41)

cs přilnavý (having a tendency to cling) · fi vartalonmukainen (having a tendency to cling) · bg прилепнал (having a tendency to cling) · de possessiv (possessive over another person) · cs přiléhavý (having a tendency to cling) · hu ragaszkodó (possessive over another person) · ca apegalós (possessive over another person) · es faldero (possessive over another person) · hu csüggeszkedő (possessive over another person) · fi takertuva (possessive over another person) · hu tapadós (having a tendency to cling) · ca cosó (possessive over another person) · es encimoso (possessive over another person) · es lapa (possessive over another person) · sv klängig (having a tendency to cling) · pl przylepny (having a tendency to cling) · hu csimpaszkodó (possessive over another person) · cmn 纏人的 /缠人的 (possessive over another person) · mk ле́плив (having a tendency to cling) · ru ли́пкий (having a tendency to cling) · mk на́метлив (possessive over another person) · hu ragadós (having a tendency to cling) · fr collant (possessive over another person) · ru навя́зчивый (possessive over another person) · hu csüngő (possessive over another person) · cs těsný (having a tendency to cling) · cs závislý (possessive over another person) · ru привя́зчивый (possessive over another person) · hu kisajátító (possessive over another person) · de anhänglich (possessive over another person) · ru назо́йливый (possessive over another person) · de klammernd (possessive over another person) · de anhänglich (having a tendency to cling) · de anhaftend (having a tendency to cling) · fr collant (having a tendency to cling) · hu bújós (possessive over another person) · fi ihonmyötäinen (having a tendency to cling) · ru це́пкий (having a tendency to cling) · mk при́врзан (possessive over another person) · cs citově vázaný (possessive over another person) · es dipe (possessive over another person)