apish

[ ey-pish ]

/ ˈeɪ pɪʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR apish ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having the qualities, appearance, or ways of an ape.

slavishly imitative.

foolishly affected; silly.

RELATED WORDS

slavish, emulative

Nearby words

apiculus, apiece, apiezon, apiology, apis, apish, apivorous, apl, aplacental, aplacophoran, aplanatic

Origin of apish

First recorded in 1525–35; ape + -ish¹

Related forms

ap·ish·ly, adverbap·ish·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for apish

And all will be managed mainly by those who pack smug chuckles over the apish credulity of legions of the self-nominated august.
Criminal Types|V. M. Masten
He came shuffling forward with a hundred apish conges and chers milors, to express his happiness at seeing Lord Dalgarno again.
The Fortunes of Nigel|Sir Walter Scott
Is this decorative tomfoolery, are this apish swagger and blazoned snobbery worthy of men and women?
Not Guilty|Robert Blatchford
The fool drew nearer to her, eagerly, apish curiosity goading him.
The Proud Prince|Justin Huntly McCarthy

He then dismisses with a word the "forked cappes" and "such like apish toyes of infinite variety."
Women of England, Volume 9 (of 10)|Burleigh James Bartlett

British Dictionary definitions for apish

apish

/ (ˈeɪpɪʃ) /

adjective

stupid; foolish

resembling an ape

slavishly imitative

Derived Forms

apishly, adverbapishness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012