ish

¹ 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.

---

-ish ² 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 ).

---

-ish ³ American  

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

   ravish.

---

-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

---

ish ² British  

/ ɪʃ /

1. slang used to express reservation or qualified assent

   Things are looking up. Ish

---

Etymology

Origin of ish¹

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

Origin of -ish²

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 -ish³

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

Example Sentences

Actually lost a very precious bracelet kilometer 75 ish in the crash if any founds it would be great!

From The Guardian • Sep. 9, 2020

So how much ish, could an in-his-prime Nicklaus have earned as a “brand ambassador” in 2020?

From Golf Digest • Jan. 21, 2020

“Look, I’m wearing this special underwear, they’re like super thick and absorbent, and kind of — ish — like a diaper, but they’re underwear,” Sam explains at length.

From New York Times • Dec. 17, 2019

“OK. Look. I’m wearing this special underwear. They’re, like, super thick and absorbent and kind of, ish, like a diaper,” Sam says matter of factly.

From Salon • Jun. 12, 2019

He had a look of troll- ish cunning on his face as he replied, “Plenty of room for all of us, Wood.”

From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling