yukky
Americanadjective
Usage
What does yukky mean? Yukky is a much less common spelling of yucky, which is a very informal adjective meaning gross, disgusting, or unappetizing. It’s based on yuck (less commonly spelled yuk), which is an informal word you say when you think something is gross or disgusting. Yuck is an interjection, which is a term used to express an emotion or indicate how you feel about something, typically outside of a sentence. Yukky is primarily used to describe foods that you think are particularly disgusting or unappetizing. It can be used upon actually tasting something or simply upon looking at it, smelling, or maybe even feeling it—you could describe a food as yukky if it feels slimy, for example. Yukky is also sometimes used to describe other things considered disgusting, such as something filthy or unpleasant weather, as in The humidity is making it really yukky outside. It can also mean just plain bad, as in My day was yukky. Yukky is associated with its use by children and is often thought of as a childish word. (While yuck is often used by children, especially those refusing to eat their vegetables, it’s commonly used in many ways that don’t sound childish.)The word yummy can be thought of as the opposite of yukky, especially in response to food. It’s based on yum, an interjection used to indicate that you think something is delicious or looks appetizing (yum is often thought of as the opposite of yuck). Like yukky, yummy can also be used in contexts other than food, such as to express that something is appealing. Example: I’d rather eat my own socks than have even one bite of that yukky broccoli.
Etymology
Origin of yukky
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But if you can surf a yukky beach break, you can surf anything.
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2012
Dodgy typography, winsome symbolism and yukky colors are just a few of its graphic design crimes.
From New York Times • Mar. 1, 2010
Before my taste buds adjusted, the squash, the okra just tasted yukky.
From Time Magazine Archive
Explaining why he would not pick up a bottle bearing the bilious Day-Glo green face, the child explained simply, "He looks yukky."
From Time Magazine Archive
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
