mawkish
UK: ˈmɔːkɪʃ | US: ˈmɔːkɪʃ
adj. excessively sentimental or emotionally effusive (often in a shallow or insincere way)
adj. having a sickly or nauseatingly sweet taste or smell
The word "mawkish" originates from the Old Norse mathkr, meaning "maggot," which evolved into the Middle English "mawk" (maggot or slimy creature). By the 17th century, "mawkish" emerged to describe something nauseatingly sweet or overly sentimental—likely drawing a metaphor between the repulsiveness of maggots and cloying emotions. The "-ish" suffix reinforces the adjective form, implying "resembling" or "having the qualities of."
The movie’s mawkish ending made the audience roll their eyes.
She avoided mawkish birthday cards, preferring witty humor instead.
The dessert was so mawkish that he couldn’t finish it.
His mawkish praise felt insincere and exaggerated.
The perfume’s mawkish floral scent gave her a headache.