Dictionary

creepy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈkɹiːpi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• krīʹpī (General-American)
• /ˈkɹipi/ (General-American)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *kreupaną Proto-West Germanic *kreupan Old English crēopan Middle English crepen English creep Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English creepy From creep + -y.

Meanings

1. Moving by creeping along.
   • The Beaver brought paper, portfolio, pens, / And ink in unfailing supplies: / While strange creepy creatures came out of their dens, / And watched them with wondering eyes. 1874–1876 (date written), Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Fit the Fit the Fifth.⁠ The Beaver’s Lesson.”, in The Hunting of the Snark […], London: Macmillan and Co., published March 1876, →OCLC:
   • creepy-crawlies
2. (informal) Producing an uneasy fearful sensation, as of things crawling over one's skin.
   • creepy ghosts
3. (informal) Causing discomfort or repulsion due to strange or eccentric behavior.
4. (especially, informal) Causing discomfort through exhibiting sexually inappropriate behavior.
   • That creepy old man keeps leering at me!
   • "He doesn't look creepy," I said. "Kind of nerdy, in a harmless way. "Looks can be deceiving. See that camera? He was always going around with that camera, snapping pictures. Some girls caught him trying to get 'up skirt' shots while they sat at their desks.[…]" 2022, Scott Bell, Pest Cemetery, page 235:
5. (informal, uncommon) Feeling an uneasy fearful sensation; creeped out.
   • “I felt creepy and afraid,” continued the other, with conviction. “I had the sensation of being seen by someone—as if someone, I mean, was watching me. […] 1920, Algernon Blackwood, First Hate:

Forms

Deriveds

creepily · creepy weepy · creepify · creepy-peepy · creepiness · creepypasta · uncreepy · creepy crawler · creepy-ass · creepy-crawly

Relateds

creeper · creep out

Translations (80)

vi kinh khủng (producing a fearful sensation) · es incomodante (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ar مخيف (causing discomfort or repulsion) · bg пълзящ (moving by creeping along) · mk ко́шмарен (producing a fearful sensation) · ca esborronador (producing a fearful sensation) · km គួរឱ្យខ្លាច (producing a fearful sensation) · vi kinh tởm (causing discomfort or repulsion) · hu rémisztő (producing a fearful sensation) · fi karmiva (producing a fearful sensation) · sv obehaglig (producing a fearful sensation) · nl griezelig (producing a fearful sensation) · is hrollvekjandi (producing a fearful sensation) · it inquietante (producing a fearful sensation) · mk мо́рничав (producing a fearful sensation) · gd uaigealta (producing a fearful sensation) · bg зловещ (feeling an uneasy fearful sensation) · th น่ากลัว (producing a fearful sensation) · vi đáng sợ (producing a fearful sensation) · hu hátborzongató (producing a fearful sensation) · ru страшенный (producing a fearful sensation) · cmn 恐怖 (causing discomfort or repulsion) · es inquietante (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ja 気味悪い (producing a fearful sensation) · ru отпугивающий (producing a fearful sensation) · ru отталкивающий (producing a fearful sensation) · cmn 嚇人 /吓人 (causing discomfort or repulsion) · vi khủng khiếp (producing a fearful sensation) · bg предизвикващ тръпки (producing a fearful sensation) · sv obehaglig (causing discomfort or repulsion) · fr flippant (producing a fearful sensation) · cmn 詭異 /诡异 (producing a fearful sensation) · tr ürpertici (producing a fearful sensation) · cmn 嚇人 /吓人 (producing a fearful sensation) · de gruselig (producing a fearful sensation) · de schaurig (producing a fearful sensation) · de unheimlich (producing a fearful sensation) · sv kuslig (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ga aisteach (producing a fearful sensation) · fi kammottava (causing discomfort or repulsion) · es espeluznante (producing a fearful sensation) · ar مفزع (producing a fearful sensation) · fr flippant (causing discomfort or repulsion) · de widerlich (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ru броса́ющий в дрожь (producing a fearful sensation) · fr angoissant (producing a fearful sensation) · ja 気持ち悪い (producing a fearful sensation) · ru крипо́вый (feeling an uneasy fearful sensation) · it angosciante (producing a fearful sensation) · sv kuslig (producing a fearful sensation) · gd èiginneach (producing a fearful sensation) · ru жу́ткий (producing a fearful sensation) · de abstoßend (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ru кошмарный (producing a fearful sensation) · de kriechend (moving by creeping along) · ru крипо́вый (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ru страхолюдный (producing a fearful sensation) · es incomodador (causing discomfort or repulsion) · de gruselig (causing discomfort or repulsion) · ga fuarú (producing a fearful sensation) · da skræmmende (producing a fearful sensation) · vi ghê gớm (producing a fearful sensation) · es escalofriante (producing a fearful sensation) · hu félelmetes (producing a fearful sensation) · ca aborronador (producing a fearful sensation) · da uhyggelig (producing a fearful sensation) · pt horripilante (producing a fearful sensation) · ru гадливый (producing a fearful sensation) · ru ползучий (moving by creeping along) · mk стра́шен (producing a fearful sensation) · km គួរឱ្យភ័យខ្លាច (producing a fearful sensation) · eu beldurgarria (producing a fearful sensation) · hu kísérteties (producing a fearful sensation) · ru вызыва́ющий мура́шки (producing a fearful sensation) · th น่าขนลุก (producing a fearful sensation) · ru гадкий (producing a fearful sensation) · de schauerlich (producing a fearful sensation) · es dar miedito (producing a fearful sensation) · cmn 恐怖 (producing a fearful sensation) · ru противный (producing a fearful sensation)