kinky
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
having many tight curls, twists, or bends.
characterised by the presence of kinks, coils, or tight twists; often used in reference to hair texture or wire.
Simple“The old garden hose was so kinky that the water couldn't flow through it.”
In context“The technician struggled to straighten the kinky copper wiring that had been improperly stored in the damp basement.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
strange, unusual, or slightly crazy in a way that is hard to predict.
marked by eccentricity or unconventional behaviour; crotchety or peculiar in nature.
Simple“He had a kinky sense of humor that not everyone in the office understood.”
In context“The professor was known for his kinky habits, such as wearing mismatched shoes and refusing to use a telephone.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is largely dated; modern speakers almost exclusively use the word to refer to hair texture or sexual preferences.
“The bird, affectionately nicknamed Kinky because of the kink in its broken wing, was nursed back to health by its two, unusually caring parents.”
“She says when she told him about her self-harm, he said it was “kinky”.”
From kink + -y. Compare Spanish canquiñi (“nappy”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.