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   Sick·ly

   /ˈsiklē/

   

   adjective

   • 1. often ill; in poor health: "she was a thin, sickly child" Similar unhealthyin poor healthchronically illoften illalways illdelicatefrailweakfeeblepunyOpposite healthyrobust
   • ▪ (of a person's complexion or expression) indicative of poor health: "his usual sickly pallor" Similar palewanpastycolorlesssallowpallidwhitewaxenashenashen-facedanemicbloodlesspeakypeakishlanguidlistlesswashed outinformal:like death warmed uppeely-wallyrare:etiolatedlymphaticOpposite healthy-looking
   • ▪ (of a place, climate, or time) causing or characterized by unhealthiness: literary "a deep sickly vaporous swamp"
   • 2. (of a flavor, smell, color, or light) so unpleasant as to induce discomfort or nausea: "the walls were painted a sickly green" Similar biliousnauseatingdistastefulunattractiveluridgarishloudviolentOpposite mutedsubtle
   • ▪ excessively sentimental or mawkish: "a sickly fable of delicate young lovers" Similar sentimentaloversentimentaloveremotionalmawkishcloyingsugarysyrupysaccharinesickeningnauseatingmaudlinlachrymosebanaltritetweeinformal:mushyslushysloppyschmaltzyweepycutesylovey-doveygooeydrippysloshysoupytreaclycheesycornyickysick-makingtoe-curlingsoppycornballsappyhokeythree-hanky

   Word Origin late Middle English: probably suggested by Old Norse sjúkligr.

   Derivatives

   • 1. sickliness noun

   Scrabble Points: 15

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