sickly
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.often getting sick or having a weak body.
adj.frequently ill or habitually in poor health; possessing a weak constitution.
Simple“He was a sickly child who spent most of his winters indoors.”
In context“The biographer noted that the poet had been a sickly youth, a factor that likely contributed to his introspective nature.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.looking pale or unhealthy in a way that suggests illness.
adj.appearing ill, infirm, or unhealthy; having a complexion or appearance suggestive of disease.
Simple“The hospital lights gave everyone a sickly yellow look.”
In context“After weeks of working underground, the miners emerged with a sickly pallor that shocked their families.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
adj.weak and not bright, or not growing well.
adj.lacking intensity, vigour, or healthy development; often applied to light or vegetation.
Simple“A few sickly plants struggled to grow in the dark corner of the garden.”
In context“The moon cast a sickly light over the ruins, barely illuminating the path ahead.”
- 04 C2 Proficiency
adv.in a way that shows someone is sick or not healthy.
adv.in a manner indicative of illness or poor health.
Simple“He smiled sickly at the doctor, trying to look better than he felt.”
In context“The engine sputtered sickly before finally dying in the middle of the desert road.”
Synonyms
From Middle English seekly, sekely, siklich, sekeliche, equivalent to sick + -ly. Possibly a modification of Old English sīcle (“sickly”) and/or derived from Old Norse sjúkligr (“sickly”). Cognate with Dutch ziekelijk, Middle High German siechlich, Danish sygelig, Swedish sjuklig, Icelandic sjúklegur. The verb is from the adjective.
From sick + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.