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- From Middle English fulsom, equivalent to ful- + -some. The meaning has evolved from an original positive connotation "abundant" to a neutral "plump" to a negative "overfed".
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fulsome
The result is that fulsome is now used with positive or neutral connotations at least as often as with negative connotations, but many people consider the “copious” meaning to be an error, even though it is the etymologically purest use of the word.
- Fulsome
The meaning of FULSOME is characterized by abundance :...
- Fulsome
The earliest known use of the word fulsome is in the Middle English period (1150—1500). OED's earliest evidence for fulsome is from before 1325, in Genesis & Exodus . fulsome is formed within English, by derivation.
fulsome (adj.) mid-13c., "abundant, plentiful," Middle English compound of ful "full" (see full (adj.)) + -som "to a considerable degree" (see -some (1)). Perhaps a case of ironic understatement.
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.
The negative connotation of the word "fulsome" has become increasingly common over time, and today the word is most often used to describe something that is excessively complimentary or insincere. fulsome relate terms
Jul 3, 2024 · The negative sense "offensive, gross; disgusting, sickening" developed secondarily after the 13th century and was influenced by Middle English foul (“ foul ”). [1] In the 18th century, the word was sometimes even spelled foulsome. [2]
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Nov 3, 2014 · Over the centuries, it came to mean overdone, cloying, gross, nauseating, disgusting, loathsome, foul, and so on. In the 18th century, in fact, it was sometimes spelled “foulsome.” Nearly all of those negative senses, the OED says, are now considered obsolete.