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- In the 19th century, fulsome was mostly a literary term used disapprovingly to describe excessive, insincere praise and flattery. This meaning is still current, but since the early 20th century fulsome has been increasingly used with far more positive meanings, among them “abundant, copious” and “full and well developed.”
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fulsome
: disgusting, fulsome. Word History. Etymology. Middle English foulsom, alteration (influenced by foul) of fulsom fulsome. Love words? You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
The word has both positive and negative meanings, so context is key. Fulsome is a troublesome word. And it's also a word that represents the rare case in which dictionaries have made the word’s meaning more confusing rather than more clear.
There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word fulsome, two of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
The meaning of FULSOME is characterized by abundance : copious. How to use fulsome in a sentence. You Don't Need to Get Negative About Fulsome Using Fulsome: Usage Guide.
Nov 3, 2014 · In the 18th century, in fact, it was sometimes spelled “foulsome.” Nearly all of those negative senses, the OED says, are now considered obsolete. The dictionary says the adjective “fulsome” is “now chiefly used in reference to gross or excessive flattery, over-demonstrative affection, or the like.”
Jul 3, 2024 · foulsome (comparative more foulsome, superlative most foulsome) Characterised or marked by foulness or filth; filthy; (by extension) wretched.
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adjective. If you describe expressions of praise, apology, or gratitude as fulsome, you disapprove of them because they are exaggerated and elaborate, so that they sound insincere. [disapproval] Newspapers have been fulsome in their praise of the former president.
