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seedy

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English sedy, equivalent to seed +‎ -y.

The senses with negative connotation arise from the metaphor of a flower or fruit that has gone to seed, and is no longer considered beautiful or edible. From there the word came to be used to describe unwell or past-their-prime people, and parallelly run-down places and by extension low-income or crime-affected urban areas. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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seedy (comparative seedier, superlative seediest)

  1. Literal senses:
    1. Full of seeds.
      Pomegranates are as seedy as any fruit you are likely to see.
    2. Seedlike; having the flavour of seeds.
    3. (colloquial) Having a peculiar flavour supposed to be derived from the weeds growing among the vines; said of certain kinds of French brandy.
  2. (figurative) Disreputable, run-down.
    Synonym: sleazy
    • 1981, “Seedy Films”, in Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, performed by Soft Cell:
      Sleazy city / Seedy films / Breathing so heavy / Next to my neighbour / Let’s get acquainted
    • 2007, Bayside, “Choice Hops and Bottled Self Esteem”, in The Walking Wounded:
      The healing power of alcohol / Only works on scrapes and nicks / And not on girls in seedy bars / Who drown themselves in it
  3. Untidy; unkempt.
    His seedy, dirt-smudged visage caused her to look at him askance.
  4. Infirm; unwell; gone to seed.
    With her aching back and pronounced limp, she was feeling particularly seedy today.
  5. Suffering the effects of a hangover.
    After last night’s party we were all feeling pretty seedy.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Anagrams

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