fulsome
Meanings
Adjective Satellite
- unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech
- "gave him a fulsome introduction"
Adj
- Offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive.
- Excessively flattering (connoting insincerity).
- Characterised or marked by fullness; abundant, copious.
- Fully developed; mature.
Origin / Etymology
From Middle English fulsom, equivalent to full + -some. The meaning has evolved from an original positive connotation "abundant" to a neutral "plump" to a negative "overfed". In modern usage, it can take on any of these inflections. See usage note.
The negative sense "offensive, gross; disgusting, sickening" developed secondarily after the 13th century and was influenced by Middle English foul (“foul”). In the 18th century, the word was sometimes even spelled foulsome.
Scrabble Score: 12
fulsome is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL wordfulsome is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
fulsome is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary
Words With Friends Score: 15
fulsome is a valid Words With Friends word