Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

squeamish

 - 3 dictionary results

squeam⋅ish

  [skwee-mish]
Use squeamish in a Sentence
–adjective
1. fastidious or dainty.
2. easily shocked by anything slightly immodest; prudish.
3. excessively particular or scrupulous as to the moral aspect of things.
4. easily nauseated or disgusted: to get squeamish at the sight of blood.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME squemish, alter. (conformed to -ish 1 ) of squemes, squaymes, alter. of squaymous < AF escoymous; ulterior orig. uncert.

Related forms:
squeam⋅ish⋅ly, adverb
squeam⋅ish⋅ness, noun

Synonyms:
1. modest. 3. finical, finicky, delicate, exacting.

Antonyms:
1–3. bold.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To squeamish
squea·mish   (skwē'mĭsh)   
adj.  

    1. Easily nauseated or sickened.

    2. Nauseated.

  2. Easily shocked or disgusted.

  3. Excessively fastidious or scrupulous.


[Middle English squeimous, alteration of Anglo-Norman escoymous.]
squea'mish·ly adv., squea'mish·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
Word Origin & History

squeamish 
c.1450, variant of squoymous "disdainful, fastidious" (c.1300), from Anglo-Fr. *escoymous, which is of unknown origin.
"He was somdel squaymous
Of fartyng, and of speche daungerous"
[Chaucer, "Miller's Tale," c.1386]
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see squeamish on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way