nellie
3
9.9
A man who acts or looks in a way some people think is not manly
- noun
- Slur
:
marica (ofensivo)
- Come on, don't be such an old nellie.
- nervous nellies
Examples
-
We got nervous nellies, tightwads, and the small fry today.
Fiction book (1991) -
He was being a bit of a nellie when he hesitated to join the game with the others.
-
We're the definition of nervous nellies.
Blog text (11) -
You shouldn't worry so much; don't be such a nellie about trying new things.
-
His friends joked that he was a nellie for always taking the safe route in everything.
Synonyms
2
9.9
A person who is too afraid to try things and seems weak
is about being effeminate or affected rather than cowardly
1
9.9
A person who is treated with too much care and seems weak
is mainly about being effeminate or affected without implying pampering
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Etymology
Nellie likely comes from the female name Nell or Nelly, so calling a man a nellie was like saying he was 'like a woman'. This helps explain why nellie came to mean a man who was not very masculine or who acted in an affected way, and why the word is often seen as offensive and outdated.