squammy

English

Alternative forms

• skwammy (Philippines, slang)

Etymology

From squamous +‎ -y, where -ous was elided to extract the root. The reduplicated ⟨m⟩ is akin to runny, brimmy, etc. The Philippine slang sense is a semantic loan from Tagalog iskuwater, itself from Philippine English squatter (“poor vagrant; illegal informal settler”) due to resemblance of the first syllable. Compare Tagalog iskuwami.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈskweɪm.mi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈskwɑːm.mi/
• (Philippines) IPA^(key): /ˈskwaːm.mi/
• Rhymes: -eɪmi, -ɑmmi

Adjective

squammy (comparative squammier, superlative squammiest)

1. (dated) Synonym of squamous (“Covered with, made of, or resembling scales; scaly.”)

   Synonyms: squamous, squamose, squamulose; see also Thesaurus:scaly

   Antonyms: esquamulose, scaleless

2. (Philippines, colloquial, slang) trashy; classless; unrefined; crass; uncultured; vulgar; uncouth (lacking refinement)