Etymology tree
English gum
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Old English -iġ
Middle English -y
English -y
English gummy
From gum (“flesh around teeth”) + -y.
Etymology tree
English gum
Proto-Indo-European *-kos
Proto-Germanic *-gaz
Proto-West Germanic *-g
Old English -iġ
Middle English -y
English -y
English gummy
From gum (“flesh around teeth”) + -y.
Meanings
(Australia, abbreviation, alt-of, clipping) Clipping of gummy shark.
2007, Bill Classon, Fishing Guide to Victoria′s Coastline, Australian Fishing Network, page 60,
Western Port is a great location to find gummies. […] Gummy sharks are one of the favoured species in Western Port and for good reason: they put up a strong fight and feed of fresh flake is pretty hard to beat.
This area of vast mudflats is right at the top of the port is home to some of the best gummy shark fishing around.[…]As the water drops, the feeding gummies drop off the banks and wait in the channels for food. 2008, Rex Hunt, Fishing Guide to Melbourne and Surrounds, page 44:
Over there [the UK], gummies are called smooth hound and a six kilo fish would stop the nation. 2000, Paul Worsteling, Fishing Western Port, page 12:
(Australia, New-Zealand) A sheep that is losing or has lost its teeth.
From gum (“(substance)”) + -y. The noun was influenced by gummi (from German).
Meanings
Resembling gum (the substance).
Covered with gum or a substance resembling gum.
the gummie bark of Firr or Pine 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Then rubs his gummy eyes. 1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Third Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:
(archaic, slang) Thick; fat.
Probably, in times gone by, when flowing gowns were seldom worn in England, some fashionable dame of high degree, having splay feet, or gummy ankles, might have put them under cover. 1857, Charles Waterton, Essays on Natural History: 3d Series, page 202:
From gum (“(substance)”) + -y. The noun was influenced by gummi (from German).
Meanings
(plural-normally) A gummi candy.
I opened the fridge to take out my lunch and gave her a gummy. She licked my hand gratefully as I placed the food into the microwave and when it was heated up, she watched me eat and when I was done, she licked my plate happily. c''' 2011, Gabrielle Tan, Different Colour Can Mix True or False?:
Cristina hands him a gummy but holds tight to her cupcake, for she's still working on it, and doesn't want to set it free yet. 2010, Linda A. Dixon, Cupcakes for Cristina!: