sticky English · revision 39526

+ English has two adjectives ''sticky'': a rare one meaning "like a stick, woody", and the usual one meaning "adhesive", formed on the verb [[stick]].^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈstɪki/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ {{homograph|1|woody}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1542, T. Elyot's Bibliotheca}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|stick|-y]], from the noun ''stick'' with the adjective suffix.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of a plant: like a stick, hard and woody, 1542, in Thomas Elyot's Latin dictionary.^(OED 2026) The Shorter Oxford dates it to the late 16th century.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Hogarth used it in 1753 for lines in painting that lack curves, while from 1843 to 1881 a stiff, wooden person could be called ''sticky''.^(OED 2026) In Northumberland and North Yorkshire dialect, celery and other vegetables were ''sticky'' when they were fibrous and tough.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1542 – of a plant, woody.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1753 – (painting) lacking curves (Hogarth).^(OED 2026)

+ * 1843 – of a person, stiff and wooden (until 1881).^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # (rare) Like a [[stick]]; [[woody]].^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+ # (obsolete) Of a person, stiff and lacking [[animation]].^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+

+ {{homograph|2|adhesive}}

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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1688, T. Jones's Welsh–English dictionary}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|en|stick|-y]], from the verb ''stick'' "to adhere" with the adjective suffix.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Dictionary.com 2016) Etymonline notes that the Old English word for "sticky" was [[m|ang|clibbor]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Adhesive, or viscous: 1688, in Thomas Jones's Welsh–English dictionary.^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates it to 1727, Merriam-Webster to 1731, and the Shorter Oxford to the mid-18th century.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Johnson (1755) defined it as viscous, adhesive or glutinous, quoting Bacon on herbs with a sticky stalk.^(Johnson 1755) In the 19th century it took on figurative senses: of a racecourse or cricket pitch softened by rain (1820, 1870), of a hot, humid day (1855, originally American), of a horse that hesitates at jumps (1845), of goods that are slow to sell (1866) and of anything mawkish or sentimental (1841).^(OED 2026) An awkward or unpleasant situation is ''sticky'' from 1871,^(OED 2026) and the cricket phrase ''sticky wicket'' is used figuratively for a difficult situation from 1930.^(OED 2026) In economics, prices and wages that resist change are ''sticky'' from 1904.^(OED 2026) ''Sticky-fingered'' meant thievish in Scots and Rutland dialect.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1688 – adhesive, viscid.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1727 – Etymonline's date.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1820 – of a racecourse, soft after rain.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1841 – mawkish, sentimental.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1855 – of weather, hot and humid.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1870 – (cricket) of a pitch drying after rain.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1871 – awkward or difficult.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1904 – (economics) slow to change.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1930 – ''sticky wicket'', a difficult situation.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Tending to stick to things it touches; [[adhesive]], or thick and [[viscous]]: ''sticky honey''.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Of weather, hot and [[humid]].^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # (informal) Awkward or difficult: ''We are in a sticky position.''^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # Of a person, damp with [[sweat]].^(OED 2026)^(Collins 2023)

+ # (economics) Of prices or wages, slow to change.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # (informal) A [[sticky note]], or another thing that sticks.^(OED 2026)

+ # (computing) A forum thread set to appear always at the top of the list.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make something sticky.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[stickily]]

+ * [[stickiness]]

+ * [[stickybeak]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[stick]]

+ * [[stitch]]

+ * [[stake]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}