Word
icky
UK/ˈaɪki/
Definition
adj. disgusting or unpleasant in a way that makes you feel like you want to wash your hands. You use this for things that are gross or make you feel sick.
adj. causing a sense of disgust or physical revulsion.
Examples
“I don't want to touch that icky green mold.”
“The kitchen was filled with an icky smell that made everyone lose their appetite for dinner.”
“While some people find fermented foods delicious, others find the strong, pungent aroma of the local cheese market absolutely icky and prefer to avoid it entirely.”
Examples
simple
“I don't want to touch that icky green mold.”
contextual
“The kitchen was filled with an icky smell that made everyone lose their appetite for dinner.”
complex
“While some people find fermented foods delicious, others find the strong, pungent aroma of the local cheese market absolutely icky and prefer to avoid it entirely.”
Etymology
1935, American English; from icky-boo (circa 1920): sickly, nauseated; baby talk corruption of sick; from a sentimental term for jazz music.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/icky