Ish Definition & Meaning

American

British

Etymology

Examples

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 ish 2 British / ɪʃ /

1. slang used to express reservation or qualified assent

   Things are looking up. Ish

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ish Sodhi hit a valiant 33 off 15 balls before he fell as the last wicket with New Zealand bowled out in 19.4 overs.

From Barron's

Ish Sodhi hit a valiant 33 off 15 balls before he fell as the last wicket with New Zealand bowled out in 19.4 overs.

From Barron's

He reached his fifty in 21 balls with a four and kept up the charge until his departure off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.

From Barron's

He reached his fifty in 21 balls with a four and kept up the charge until his departure off leg-spinner Ish Sodhi.

From Barron's

Abhishek kept up the charge and raced to his seventh T20 fifty for India in 22 balls, but finally fell to Ish Sodhi after he mistimed a hit to long-on.

From Barron's

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.