Dictionary

icky en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɪki/

Etymology

1935, American English; from icky-boo (circa 1920): sickly, nauseated; baby talk corruption of sick; from a sentimental term for jazz music.

Meanings

1. (informal) Unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting.
   • I stepped in something icky and it smells terrible.
   • Crew member Sachin Sharma of India said workers had no problems with being thrust into the icky job of handling the red bags filled with human waste. 2013 February 15, Wayne Drash, “On crippled cruise ship, icky jobs fell to ‘amazing’ crew”, in CNN:
2. (informal) Excessively sentimental.
3. (informal) Unwell or upset; in a bad state of mind or health.
   • I'm not going to work today. I just feel icky.

Forms

Deriveds

ickily · sticky-icky · icky-poo · ickiness

Relateds

ick

Synonyms

gross · valetudinary · schmaltzy · treacly · slushy · soupy · sickly sweet · sickish · unhealthy · drippy · maudlin · syrupy · poorly · cheesy · mushy · bathetic · ropy · indisposed · poorly · infirm · valetudinarian · treacly · like death warmed over · maladive · overwrought · icky · gooey · sick as a parrot · corny · icky · mawkish · off one's feed · sickly · under the weather · out of sorts · sick · sappy · green about the gills · lousy · sick as a dog · rough · soppy · bad · crank · sick · mawkish · puny · hokey · syrupy · tumid · kitsch · oversentimental · overemotional · bad · squishy · punk · crook · queer · kitschy · Pat and Mick · ill · unwell · ishy · on the Pat and Mick · schmaltzy · ailing

Translations (24)

sv äcklig (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fi yököttävä (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fr dégueulasse (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · de kitschig (excessively sentimental) · fr dégoûtant (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fr dégueu (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · de fies klebrig (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · pl be (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · it svenevole (excessively sentimental) · it sdolcinato (excessively sentimental) · sv sliskig (excessively sentimental) · de ekelig (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fr sirupeux (excessively sentimental) · bg лепкав (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · nb ekkel (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · bg сладникав (excessively sentimental) · it disgustoso (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · eo malbongustega (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fr cucul (excessively sentimental) · pt meloso (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · de eklig (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · eo aĉa (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting) · fr mièvre (excessively sentimental) · fi ällö (unpleasantly sticky; yucky; disgusting)