waxy

¹ American  

[wak-see] / ˈwæk si /

adjective

waxier, waxiest

1. resembling wax in appearance or characteristics.

   His face had a waxy shine.

2. abounding in, covered with, or made of wax.

   Be careful! The floor is waxy.

3. pliable, yielding, or impressionable.

   a waxy personality.

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waxy ² American  

[wak-see] / ˈwæk si /

adjective

Chiefly British.

waxier, waxiest

1. angry.

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waxy ¹ British  

/ ˈwæksɪ /

adjective

1. resembling wax in colour, appearance, or texture

2. made of, covered with, or abounding in wax

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waxy ² British  

/ ˈwæksɪ /

adjective

1. informal  bad-tempered or irritable; angry

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Other Word Forms

• waxily adverb
• waxiness noun

Etymology

Origin of waxy¹

First recorded in 1545–55; wax ¹ + -y ¹

Origin of waxy²

First recorded in 1850–55; wax ³ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

I’m not sobbing because Zverev won or because my hands remind me of my grandmother’s, though slightly less waxy, veiny and spotted.

From Los Angeles Times

Sperm whales derive their name from the waxy, liquid substance produced in their skulls by a massive biological structure called the spermaceti organ.

From Salon

In a day and a half he can transform a waxy, light-brown football that’s fresh out of the box into a mahogany gem that feels like a perfectly worked-in baseball glove.

From Los Angeles Times

Six thousand trees — nearly all of them varieties of Coffea arabica, the most widely consumed and best-tasting coffee species — sit in neatly planted rows, their waxy, deep green leaves shimmering in the sun.

From Salon

For crackers, you can recycle the outside box if it’s cardboard, but then there’s usually a plastic bag inside or a waxy bag that you can’t recycle.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• glistening
• lustrous