gawky
pronunciation
How to pronounce gawky in British English:
UK [ˈgɔ:ki]
How to pronounce gawky in American English:
US [ˈɡɔki]
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- Adjective:
- lacking grace in movement or posture
Word Origin
- gawky (adj.)
- "awkward, ungainly," 1759, from gawk hand "left hand" (1703), perhaps a contraction of gaulick, thus "gaulish hand," derogatory slang that could have originated during some period of strained Anglo-French relations, i.e. most of recorded history. Liberman considers it belongs to the group that includes gawk (v.). Related: Gawkily.
Example
- 1. Does she look posh to you , or gawky ?
- 2. Her tall , gawky colleague was at the desk .
- 3. Ten years ago he was a gawky teenager .
- 4. What a gawky and gauche gawk !
- 5. Of a scrawny build ; spindly or gawky .