-ish

¹ American  

1. a suffix used to form adjectives from nouns, with the sense of “belonging to” (British; Danish; English; Spanish ); “after the manner of,” “having the characteristics of,” “like” (babyish; girlish; mulish ); “addicted to,” “inclined or tending to” (bookish; freakish ); “near or about” (fiftyish; sevenish ).

2. a suffix used to form adjectives from other adjectives, with the sense of “somewhat,” “rather” (oldish; reddish; sweetish ).

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-ish ² American  

1. a suffix occurring in i -stem verbs borrowed from French.

   ravish.

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ish ³ American  

[ish] / ɪʃ /

adverb

Informal.

1. (used to modify or moderate something previously stated or as a vague reply to a question) somewhat; in a way; not exactly: “Are you tired?” “Yeah...ish.”

   It's a decent (ish) place to work.

   “Are you tired?” “Yeah...ish.”

   I'd like to get married. Ish.

2. near or about; approximately: It'll be a $25ish taxi ride.

   The lights went out at 11-ish.

   It'll be a $25ish taxi ride.

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-ish ¹ British  

suffix

1. of or belonging to a nationality or group

   Scottish

2. derogatory  having the manner or qualities of; resembling

   slavish

   prudish

   boyish

3. somewhat; approximately

   yellowish

   sevenish

4. concerned or preoccupied with

   bookish

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ish ² British  

/ ɪʃ /

1. slang  used to express reservation or qualified assent

   Things are looking up. Ish

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Etymology

Origin of -ish¹

Middle English; Old English -isc; cognate with German -isch, Old Norse -iskr, Gothic -isks, Greek diminutive noun suffix -isk(os); akin to -esque

Origin of -ish²

From French -iss-, extended stem of verbs with infinitives in -ir, ultimately from Latin -isc-, in verbs that express the beginning of an action or process

Origin of ish³

First recorded in 1985–90; from -ish ¹ ( def. ) (in the sense “somewhat”)

Example Sentences

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue and Suns forward Ish Wainright have a brotherly relationship and ties to Missouri spanning 15 years.

From Los Angeles Times

Six years before their first-round meeting in this month’s Clippers-Suns playoff series, Tyronn Lue was giving Ish Wainright an earful.

From Los Angeles Times

Ish said he didn’t know all of his father’s basketball exploits.

From Los Angeles Times

“Seeing Ish there playing against T-Lue and different generations of Kansas City basketball with Larry Drew on the bench, it’s up for Ish to pass the torch now,” Watson said.

From Los Angeles Times

“Ish understands the responsibility we have in our community.”

From Los Angeles Times