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waggish

waggish

1 8.0
Playful and teasing in a light, joking way
  • adjective
  • /ˈwæɡɪʃ/
  • Literature
translation icon : jocoso
  • He was too quiet; his eyes lacked their usual waggish glint, and he, like everyone else, seemed to be watching her.

Examples

  • "Do I speak feelingly now?" a gentleman asks Lucio, the waggish spokesman for licentiousness.

    Academic text (2001)
  • " Hrostilfe made a waggish gesture."

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Have you found him yet?" The question usually comes from an academic colleague, and it's typically accompanied by a waggish smile.

    Academic text (1998)
  • He demonstrated, doing a waggish little dance step around the floor.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • As waggish boys in game themselves forswear, so the boy love is perjured every where:

  • I always remember him as shadowy, erratic, waggish.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Shaking rattles of waggish privity

    Fiction book (2002)
  • Nevertheless, a certain waggish mathematician provoked some scorn and much stifled laughter when, in a stage whisper, he paraphrased Descartes's most famous dictum.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • The comedian's waggish remarks had the audience in stitches throughout the entire show.

  • Her waggish personality made every gathering lively and entertaining for everyone involved.

Synonyms

roguish
vswaggish
3 6.7

Showing playful, friendly mischief

focuses more on joking and humor than charm or cheekiness
quippy
vswaggish
1 8.1

Saying quick clever remarks that are often funny and a little sarcastic

is more broadly playful and fond of joking than focused on wit
scampish
vswaggish
6.3

Acting playful and slightly naughty, often doing small harmless tricks

leans more toward joking and humor rather than rascal behavior

Antonyms

452 1.4

Calm and focused, not playful or joking

grave
  • Formal
181 4.2

Very serious and needing careful attention

How Playful

mischievous
19 3.5
roguish
3 6.7
waggish
  • Literature
1 8.0
droll
8 7.7
amusing
208 1.0

Surface Forms

waggish positive
waggisher comparative
waggishest superlative

Morphology

waggish = wag (semi-transparent) = wag + ish

Formed by the productive suffix '-ish' from 'wag', but the noun 'wag' meaning 'joker' is somewhat rare/dated and may be unknown to B1 learners.

Etymology

Waggish comes from the old word wag, which originally meant 'to move' and later came to mean a playful 'person' who liked jokes. A helpful way to remember it is to picture a dog wagging its tail: a waggish remark is lively, playful, and a little mischievous.