Dictionary

shadowy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈʃæd.əʊ.i/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈʃæd.oʊ.i/ (General-American)
• (US) audio

Etymology

From Middle English schadwy, schadowy, equivalent to shadow + -y.

Meanings

1. In shadow; darkened by shadows.
   • He sat in a shadowy corner.
2. (of character) Dark, obscure.
   • By 1980, South Korea had overtaken its northern neighbour, and was well on its way to being one of the Asian tigers – high-performing economies, with democratic movements ultimately winning power in the 1990s. The withdrawal of most Soviet aid in 1991, with the fall of the Soviet empire, pushed North Korea further down. Kim Il-sung had held a genuine place on North Korean people's affections. His son was regarded as a shadowy playboy, with rumours circulating over the years that he imported Russian and Chinese prostitutes, and lived a life of profligacy and excess. 2011 December 19, Kerry Brown, “Kim Jong-il obituary”, in The Guardian:
   • He was a shadowy man who rarely spoke.
   • But the most frequent guests were as New York magazine put it, “Arab princes, Third World officials, and shadowy European and American businessmen. 2017 June 7, Adam Lusher, “Adnan Khashoggi: the 'whoremonger' whose arms deals funded a playboy life of decadence and 'pleasure wives'”, in The Independent, London:
3. (figuratively) Vague, dim, unclear, faint.
4. (dated, rare) Indulging in fancies; daydreaming.

Forms

Deriveds

shadowily · unshadowy · shadowiness

Relateds

umbrous · umbral

Translations (33)

ang gesceadlīc (of or pertaining to shadow) · enm schadwy (of or pertaining to shadow) · af skaduweeagtig (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · bg смътен (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · ru хму́рый (of or pertaining to shadow) · ang sceadiht (of or pertaining to shadow) · ga foscúil (of or pertaining to shadow) · alt кӧлӧткӱлӱ (of or pertaining to shadow) · fi hämärä (of or pertaining to shadow) · la obscūrus (of or pertaining to shadow) · bg сенчест (of or pertaining to shadow) · mi whakawairua (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · es sombreado (of or pertaining to shadow) · bg неясен (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · ru тёмный (of or pertaining to shadow) · et hämar (of or pertaining to shadow) · es sombrío (of or pertaining to shadow) · pl cienisty (of or pertaining to shadow) · es umbroso (of or pertaining to shadow) · it ombroso (of or pertaining to shadow) · grc ἀμαυρός (of or pertaining to shadow) · ga scáthach (of or pertaining to shadow) · ru затенённый (of or pertaining to shadow) · la umbrōsus (of or pertaining to shadow) · eo ombreca (of or pertaining to shadow) · ru смутный (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · af skaduagtig (Vague, unclear etc. as of an insubstantial image) · es umbrío (of or pertaining to shadow) · de schattig (of or pertaining to shadow) · af skaduagtig (of or pertaining to shadow) · fr sombre (of or pertaining to shadow) · es sombroso (of or pertaining to shadow) · af skaduweeagtig (of or pertaining to shadow)