clubby

American  

[kluhb-ee] / ˈklʌb i /

adjective

clubbier, clubbiest

1. characteristic of a club.

   The room had a warm, clubby atmosphere.

2. very friendly; intimate; chummy.

   He became clubby with the bartender, who slipped him many free drinks.

3. socially exclusive; cliquish.

   Their group is very clubby and unfriendly.

4. inclined to join clubs.

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clubby British  

/ ˈklʌbɪ /

adjective

1. sociable, esp effusively so

2. exclusive or cliquish

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Other Word Forms

• clubbily adverb
• clubbiness noun

Etymology

Origin of clubby

First recorded in 1855–60; club + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Yet Weinstein—who told The Wall Street Journal last February he “didn’t realize how clubby” the U.K. financial world was—later racked up a string of quiet victories.

From The Wall Street Journal

Few companies exemplify the clubby atmosphere and giant gains missed by everyday investors like the Elon Musk-founded rocket maker, which sends satellites and astronauts into space for the U.S. government.

From The Wall Street Journal

The clubby Lloyd’s market connects thousands of buyers and sellers of risks daily, with deals struck in a cavernous underwriting room or the nearby bars, thronged by underwriters and brokers every lunchtime.

From The Wall Street Journal

Upon landing in a private airport, visitors get a luggage tag that some businessmen like to keep on their bags as a clubby accessory.

From The Wall Street Journal

Access to clubby lounges and events can feel glamorous, but some of the more overlooked perks are often also most useful.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• affable
• affectionate
• amiable
• amicable
• attentive
• beneficial
• chummy
• cordial
• familiar
• favorable
• good
• helpful
• loving
• loyal
• neighborly
• peaceful
• receptive
• sympathetic
• welcoming