tacky
UK: ˈtæk.i | US: ˈtæk.i
adj. 1. (of glue, paint, etc.) slightly sticky or not fully dry.
adj. 2. (informal) showing poor taste or style; cheap or vulgar.
tacky = tack<adhesive> + y<adjective suffix>
- tack: From Middle English takke (nail, pin), likely from Old Norse takk (point, spike). Evolved to mean "adhesive" in the 18th century.
- y: A common English suffix forming adjectives (e.g., sticky, messy).
Etymology Origin:
Originally, tacky described the sticky quality of half-dried glue or paint (early 19th century), derived from tack in its adhesive sense. By the late 19th century, it metaphorically extended to describe things perceived as "sticking out" in a tasteless way, hence its modern informal meaning of "vulgar" or "cheap."
The paint was still tacky to the touch after two hours.
She refused to wear the tacky neon dress to the party.
Avoid sitting on the bench—the varnish is tacky.
His apartment was decorated with tacky souvenirs from tourist shops.
The sticker left a tacky residue on the glass.