clammy

clammy
\ \ [14] Etymologically, clammy means ‘sticky as if smeared with clay’. It comes from the now obsolete verb clamsmear, stick’. This goes back to Old English clǣman, a word of ancient ancestry: its prehistoric Germanic source was *klaimjan, a verb derived from *klaimazclay’; this was formed from the base *klai-, which is also the ultimate source of English clay and can be traced back to the Indo-European base *gloi-, *glei-, *gli-, from which English gets glue and gluten.
\ \ Cf.CLAY, GLUE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • Clammy — Clam my, a. [Compar. {Clammier}; superl. {Clammiest}.] [Cf. AS. cl[=a]m clay. See {Clam} to clog, and cf. {Clay}.] Having the quality of being viscous or adhesive; soft and sticky; glutinous; damp and adhesive, as if covered with a cold… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • clammy — (adj.) late 14c., probably from M.E. clam viscous, sticky, muddy (mid 14c.), from O.E. clæm mud, sticky clay, from P.Gmc. *klaimaz clay (Cf. Flem. klammig, Low. Ger. klamig sticky, damp, O.E. clæman to smear, plaster; Cf. CLAY (Cf. clay)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • clammy — [adj] damp close, dank, drizzly, moist, mucid, mucous, muculent, pasty, slimy, soggy, sticky, sweating, sweaty, wet; concept 603 Ant. dry …   New thesaurus

  • clammy — ► ADJECTIVE (clammier, clammiest) 1) unpleasantly damp and sticky. 2) (of air) cold and damp. DERIVATIVES clammily adverb clamminess noun. ORIGIN from dialect clam «to be sticky»; related to …   English terms dictionary

  • clammy — [klam′ē] adj. clammier, clammiest [ME < clam, viscous, muddy, prob. < OE clam, mud, clay: for IE base see CLAY] unpleasantly moist, cold, and sticky clammily adv. clamminess n …   English World dictionary

  • clammy — [[t]klæ̱mi[/t]] ADJ GRADED Something that is clammy is unpleasantly damp or sticky. Think of the clammy hands you get when you visit the dentist!... My shirt was clammy with sweat …   English dictionary

  • clammy — UK [ˈklæmɪ] / US adjective Word forms clammy : adjective clammy comparative clammier superlative clammiest cold and wet in an unpleasant way Her hands felt cold and clammy. Derived word: clamminess noun uncountable …   English dictionary

  • clammy — adjective (clammier; est) Etymology: Middle English, probably from clammen to smear, stick, from Old English clǣman; akin to Old English clǣg clay Date: 14th century 1. being damp, soft, sticky, and usually cool < a clammy and inten …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • clammy — clammily, adv. clamminess, n. /klam ee/, adj. clammier, clammiest. 1. covered with a cold, sticky moisture; cold and damp: clammy hands. 2. sickly; morbid: She had a clammy feeling that something was wrong at home. [1350 1400; ME, equiv. to ME… …   Universalium

  • clammy — clam·my klam ē adj, clam·mi·er; est being moist and sticky <a patient in shock may be cold and clammy (Emergency Medicine)> <clammy sweating> …   Medical dictionary

  • clammy — adjective 1) his clammy hands Syn: moist, damp, sweaty, sticky; slimy, slippery Ant: dry 2) the clammy atmosphere Syn: damp, dank …   Thesaurus of popular words

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