cubbish

English

Etymology

From cub +‎ -ish.

Adjective

cubbish (comparative more cubbish, superlative most cubbish)

1. Reminiscent of a cub, i.e. shy and naive.
   • 1895, Charles King, Under Fire‎^[1]:

     At last he opened and read the note, a clumsy, cubbish attempt to explain his language in Sanders's room, and to say the package was absolutely nothing but some violets, to apologize for any and every annoyance he might have caused Mr. and Mrs. Davies, for whom he entertained nothing but sentiments of the most profound respect and esteem, and begging if ever they met again to be regarded as most sincerely their friend, etc.

   • 1890, Walter Scott, The Journal of Sir Walter Scott‎^[2]:

     It is odd how much less cubbish the English boys are than the Scotch.

Derived terms

• cubbishly
• cubbishness