tacky

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æki

Etymology

Compare techy, tack a spot.

Adjective

tacky (comparative tackier, superlative tackiest)

1. Of a substance, slightly sticky.

   This paint isn't dry yet - it's still a bit tacky.

2. (colloquial) Of low quality.

   That market stall sells all sorts of tacky ornaments.

3. (colloquial) In poor taste.

   That was a tacky thing to say.

4. gaudy, flashy, showy, garish
5. dowdy, shabbily dressed
6. shabby, dowdy (in one's appearance)

Translations

slightly sticky

• Finnish: tahmea (fi), tarttuva (fi)
• German: klebrig (de)
• Latvian: lipīgs (lv)

• Portuguese: pegajoso, grudento
• Russian: липкий (ru) (lípkij) 
• Spanish: pegajoso (es) m

colloquial: of low quality

• Dutch: slecht (nl), goedkoop (nl)
• Finnish: halpa, rihkama- (prefix in a compound), tökerö
• German: billig (de)
• Portuguese: fajuto, esnobe e barato

• Russian: аляповатый (ru) (aljapovátyj) , низкопробный (ru) (nizkopróbnyj) , низкокачественный (ru) (nizkokáčestvennyj) , дешёвый (ru) (dešóvyj)  (cheap)
• Spanish: naco (Mexico), de mal gusto
• Tagalog: baduy (tl)

colloquial: in bad taste

• Dutch: smakeloos (nl)
• Esperanto: malbongusta (eo)
• Finnish: mauton (fi), tyylitön (fi)
• German: geschmacklos (de)

• Italian: di cattivo gusto
• Portuguese: de mau gosto (pt), brega (pt), cafona (pt)
• Russian: безвкусный (ru) (bezvkúsnyj) 
• Spanish: naco (Mexico)
• Tagalog: baduy (tl)

gaudy, flashy, showy, garish

• Italian: pacchiano (it)
• Portuguese: espalhafatoso (pt), mirabolante (pt)

• Russian: кричащий (ru) (kričáščij) , броский (ru) (bróskij) , мишурный (ru) (mišúrnyj) , показной (ru) (pokaznój) 
• Spanish: de mal gusto

dowdy, shabbily dressed

• Portuguese: cafona (pt)

• Russian: бедно одетый (ru) (bédno odétyj) 

dowdy, shabby (in one's appearance)

• Portuguese: desleixado (pt)

• Russian: неэлегантный (ru) (neelegántnyj) , неряшливый (ru) (nerjášlivyj)