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squattish

squattish

8.9
Rough homes built by people who live there without permission
  • adjective
  • /ˈskwɑːtɪʃ/
translation icon : precario
  • The refugees built a squattish settlement with makeshift walls and roofs made from tarps.

Examples

  • He described the neighborhood as full of squattish houses made from scrap materials.

  • Many squattish structures were hastily erected after the earthquake.

  • The refugees built a squattish settlement on the outskirts of the city.

  • A row of squattish shelters lined the abandoned railway tracks.

  • The squattish building looked out of place in the upscale neighborhood.

  • He described the neighborhood as full of squattish houses, each fashioned from recycled materials.

  • A row of squattish shelters lined the abandoned railway tracks, providing temporary homes for many.

How Makeshift

ramshackle
10 7.5
squattish
8.9
makeshift
1 4.3
basic
1.0
solid
325 1.0

Surface Forms

squattish positive

Morphology

squattish = squatter (semi-transparent) = squat + ish

Formed from the idea of 'squat'/'squatter' + '-ish' so the general meaning is inferable, but it requires knowledge of the 'illegal-occupation' sense and applies it to buildings or dwellings, which is somewhat specialized.

Etymology

Squattish comes from the word squat ('to live without permission') and the ending -ish ('somewhat like'), and it links to squatters (people who occupy buildings illegally). So squattish describes shelters or houses that look rough, quickly made, or like they belong to squatters.