fulsome
[foo l-suh m, fuhl-]
- offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive; overdone or gross: fulsome praise that embarrassed her deeply; fulsome décor.
- disgusting; sickening; repulsive: a table heaped with fulsome mounds of greasy foods.
- excessively or insincerely lavish: fulsome admiration.
- encompassing all aspects; comprehensive: a fulsome survey of the political situation in Central America.
- abundant or copious.
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Origin of fulsome
Usage note
In the 13th century when it was first used, fulsome meant simply “abundant or copious.” It later developed additional senses of “offensive, gross” and “disgusting, sickening,” probably by association with foul, and still later a sense of excessiveness: a fulsome disease; a fulsome meal, replete with too much of everything. For some centuries fulsome was used exclusively, or nearly so, with these unfavorable meanings.
Today, both fulsome and fulsomely are also used in senses closer to the original one: The sparse language of the new Prayer Book contrasts with the fulsome language of Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer. Later they discussed the topic more fulsomely. These uses are often criticized on the grounds that fulsome must always retain its connotations of “excessive” or “offensive.” The common phrase fulsome praise is thus sometimes ambiguous in modern use.
Today, both fulsome and fulsomely are also used in senses closer to the original one: The sparse language of the new Prayer Book contrasts with the fulsome language of Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer. Later they discussed the topic more fulsomely. These uses are often criticized on the grounds that fulsome must always retain its connotations of “excessive” or “offensive.” The common phrase fulsome praise is thus sometimes ambiguous in modern use.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for fulsome
Contemporary Examples
This occurs even as they proclaim their fulsome concern for “future generations.”
Clemmons was fulsome in his praise for Jews who have taken up residence on territory that Israel captured from Jordan in 1967.
Rather, he sees her fulsome interest in sex as a small rebellion against the fundamentalist world that she was born into.
His Empire State colleagues, while tentatively supportive, have been far less than fulsome in their comments.
He asked Hoover to contribute, and the director did so with fulsome praise for Joe Kennedy.
Historical Examples
He is critical, but not captious; laudatory, but not fulsome.
His praise was as close to fulsome flattery as it could be and not overstep the mark.
Cap'n Dan's DaughterJoseph C. Lincoln
"Blaw his lug," to praise a person in an extravagant or fulsome manner.
The Proverbs of ScotlandAlexander Hislop
It was praised with the most fulsome adulation; assailed with the most violent condemnation.
The OctopusFrank Norris
No adulation was too fulsome for her, no flattery of her beauty too gross.
History of the English PeopleJohn Richard Green
fulsome
- excessive or insincere, esp in an offensive or distasteful wayfulsome compliments
- not standard extremely complimentary
- informal full, rich or abundanta fulsome figure; a fulsome flavour; fulsome detail
- archaic disgusting; loathsome
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usage
The use of fulsome to mean extremely complimentary or full, rich or abundant is common in journalism, but should be avoided in other kinds of writing
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
Word Origin and History for fulsome
adj.
Middle English compound of ful "full" (see full (adj.)) + -som (see -some (1)). Sense evolved from "abundant, full" (mid-13c.) to "plump, well-fed" (mid-14c.) to "overgrown, overfed" (1640s) and thus, of language, "offensive to taste or good manners" (1660s). Since the 1960s, however, it commonly has been used in its original, favorable sense, especially in fulsome praise. Related: Fulsomely; fulsomeness.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper