skeevy

adjective

skee·​vy ˈskē-vē How to pronounce skeevy (audio)
skeevier; skeeviest
slang
: morally or physically repulsive : disgusting, sleazy

Examples of skeevy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This was a skeevy move by Hayden. — BostonGlobe.com, 7 Sep. 2022 Keep cherry picking, keep changing the subject, keep misinterpreting graphs, and keep slinging ad hominems (note: that last one is skeevy and foul and disgusting almost beyond belief). — Phil Plait, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2012

Word History

Etymology

probably from skeeve "to disgust, be disgusted by" (borrowed from the stem of Italian schifare "to loathe, feel disgust for," earlier "to shun, avoid," borrowed from Old French eschiver) + -y entry 1 — more at eschew

Note: The -v- in skeeve may reflect lax consonant articulation in southern Italian dialects, perceived as voicing by non-dialect speakers.

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of skeevy was in 1976

Rhymes for skeevy

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skeevy
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Cite this Entry

“Skeevy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skeevy. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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