First Known Use: circa 1697
Dictionary
mawkish
adjective mawk·ish \ˈmȯ-kish\
: sad or romantic in a foolish or exaggerated way
Full Definition of MAWKISH
1
: having an insipid often unpleasant taste
2
: sickly or puerilely sentimental
— mawk·ish·ly adverb
— mawk·ish·ness noun
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Origin of MAWKISH
Middle English mawke maggot, probably from Old Norse mathkr — more at maggot
Related to MAWKISH
- Synonyms
- chocolate-box, cloying, drippy, fruity, gooey, lovey-dovey, maudlin, corny, mushy, novelettish, saccharine, sappy, schmaltzy, sentimental, sloppy, slushy, soppy, soupy, spoony (or spooney), sticky, sugarcoated, sugary, wet
- Antonyms
- unsentimental
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