skeevy

English

Etymology

From Italian schifo (“disgust, nausea”) plus English suffix -y. Compare Italian schifoso (“disgusting, loathsome”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈskiːvi/

• Audio (AU):

  (file)

Adjective

skeevy (comparative skeevier, superlative skeeviest)

1. (slang) Disgusting or distasteful.
   • 1970, Carol Evan, Glad and Sorry Seasons, page 3:

     Carefully holding onto every dirty, skeevy piece of information he collected, he used it in his own best interests to ferret his way into a Vice Presidency

   • 1980, Jerry Chase, Cinderella Wore Combat Boots‎^[1], page 8:

     GODZELLA. (After Cinderella has gone.) Mama, can we get a new stepsister? Cinderella is so icky and skeevy.

   • 2013, Jessica Hagedorn, Manila Noir, Akashic Books (→ISBN), page 183

     He was huddled in the doorway of this skeevy noodle joint in Binondo, the kind of skeevy joint in a skeevy alley where you wouldn't expect to see a guy like Paco. Or maybe you would.

   • 2017, Jessica Brody, The Chaos of Standing Still, Simon and Schuster (→ISBN), page 232

     The idea of hanging out with a skeevy poker player and all of his skeevy friends was not my idea of a good time. But I didn't want Lottie to go alone, either. I assumed the guy was dangerous.

Derived terms

• skeeve
• skeeviness

See also

• skeevies