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

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

It also puts a spotlight on the clubby insurance industry, dominated by a small circle of mostly male executives who vie for the top positions.

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

But Mr. Parker’s incorporation of clubby rhythms suggests neither mind-expansion nor hedonism but rather mathematical precision.

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