sloppy
UK: ˈslɒpi | US: ˈslɑːpi
adj. careless or untidy in appearance or work
adj. overly sentimental or emotional
adj. (of food or liquid) wet or messy
sloppy = slop<wet/messy> + py<adjective suffix>
- slop: From Middle English sloppe (mud or wet ground), likely imitative of the sound of liquid splashing. Evolved to mean "spill carelessly" or "liquid waste."
- py: A common adjectival suffix in English (e.g., happy, sleepy), indicating a quality or state.
Etymology Origin:
The word sloppy emerged in the early 19th century, combining slop (evoking wetness or messiness) with the suffix -py to describe something characterized by carelessness or excess liquid. Its figurative use for sentimentality (e.g., "sloppy love letter") arose later, likening emotional excess to physical messiness.
His sloppy handwriting made the note hard to read.
The chef criticized the sloppy presentation of the dish.
She wore a sloppy sweater and jeans to the casual outing.
The movie’s slppy romantic scenes felt overly sentimental.
Avoid sloppy work if you want to impress your boss.