sexy

Forms

sexy m or f or n (indeclinable)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from English sexy, taken over without adaptation.^[1][2][3] MDA2, the DLR and NODEX name French sexy as a second source;^[4][5][6][1] French took the word from English as well.^[4][5][6][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is in the film magazine Cinema in 1968, which says of an actress that she does not yet aim to play Shakespeare and keeps to filme sexy “sexy films”.^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

The early records apply the word to shows and films: numere sexy “sexy numbers” in 1969 and Hollywoodul sexy in 1971.^[5] The sense “attractive, with sex appeal”, said of people, is the first one the dictionaries list today.^[2][4] Marcu labels it an anglicism of familiar speech.^[3]

Timeline

• 1968 – filme sexy in the magazine Cinema, the first record.^[5][4]
• 1969 – numere sexy “sexy numbers” of strip shows in Flacăra.^[5]
• 1971 – Hollywoodul sexy in Cinema.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of people: sexually attractive, having sex appeal.^[2][7]
2. Of films, shows or publications: erotic in character.^[2][4]

Related words

• sex
• sexapil

Usage notes

The adjective is invariable: o rochie sexy, niște actori sexy.^[2] Volceanov's slang dictionary also lists the spelling sexi.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 1010
3. ^ a b Marcu, Florin; Maneca, Constant (1986), Dicționar de neologisme, 3rd ed., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Socialiste România, p. s.v. sexy
4. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 2, 868
5. ^ a b c d e f g Academia Română (1965–2010), Dicționarul limbii române (DLR), serie nouă, tom I–XIX, București: Editura Academiei Române, p. s.v. sexy
6. ^ a b Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2002), Noul dicționar explicativ al limbii române, București: Litera Internațional, p. s.v. sexy
7. ^ Marcu, Florin (2000), Marele dicționar de neologisme, București: Saeculum Vizual, p. s.v. sexy
8. ^ Volceanov, George (2007), Dicționar de argou al limbii române, București: Niculescu, p. s.v. sexy