Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
clumsy - 3 dictionary results

clum⋅sy

  [kluhm-zee]
Use clumsy in a Sentence
–adjective, -si⋅er, -si⋅est.
1. awkward in movement or action; without skill or grace: He is very clumsy and is always breaking things.
2. awkwardly done or made; unwieldy; ill-contrived: He made a clumsy, embarrassed apology.
Origin:
1590–1600; clums benumbed with cold (now obs.) + -y 1 ; akin to ME clumsen to be stiff with cold, dial. Sw klumsig benumbed, awkward, klums numbskull, ON klumsa lockjaw. See clam 2

Related forms:
clum⋅si⋅ly, adverb
clum⋅si⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. ungraceful, ungainly, lumbering, lubberly. 2. unhandy, unskillful, maladroit, inexpert, bungling, bumbling, heavy-handed, inept.

Antonyms:
2. adroit, skillful.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To clumsy
clum·sy   (klŭm'zē)   
adj.   clum·si·er, clum·si·est
  1. Lacking physical coordination, skill, or grace; awkward.
  2. Awkwardly constructed; unwieldy: clumsy wooden shoes; a clumsy sentence.
  3. Gauche; inept: a clumsy excuse.

[From obsolete clumse, to be numb with cold, from Middle English clomsen, of Scandinavian origin.]
clum'si·ly adv., clum'si·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

clumsy 
1597, from M.E. clumsid "numb with cold," pp. of clumsen "to benumb," from O.N. klumsa, intens. of kluma "to make motionless."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : clumsy
Spanish: torpe,
German: ungeschickt,
Japanese: 無器用な
More Translations »
Search another word or see clumsy on Thesaurus | Reference
>