lukewarm
adj.adj. only slightly warm, especially when you expect it to be hot. It can also describe a person who is not very excited or interested in an idea.
adj. moderately warm; tepid. Often describes a lack of enthusiasm or conviction regarding a proposal or person.
I don't like drinking lukewarm coffee.
The audience gave the speaker a lukewarm reception, clapping politely but without any real energy.
Despite the marketing team's high expectations, the public response to the new product line was lukewarm, leading to an immediate review of the brand's strategy.
From Middle English leukwarm, lukewarm (“lukewarm, tepid”), equivalent to luke (“lukewarm”) + warm. Compare Saterland Frisian luukwoarm (“lukewarm”), German Low German luukwarm (“lukewarm”), German lauwarm (“lukewarm”). First element believed to be an alteration of Middle English lew (“tepid”) (> English dialectal lew), from Old English hlēow (“warm, sunny”), from Proto-Germanic hliwjaz, hlēwaz, hlūmaz, hleumaz (“warm”), from Proto-Indo-European ḱal(w)e-, ḱel(w)e-, *k(')lēw- (“warm, hot”). Cognate with Dutch lauw (“tepid”), German lau (“lukewarm”), Faroese lýggjur (“warm”), Swedish ljum (“lukewarm”), ljummen (“lukewarm”) and ly (“warm”), Danish lummer (“muggy”), Danish and Norwegian lunken (“tepid”), dialectal Swedish ljummen (“lukewarm”).
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'feel', or 'remain'.