mealy-mouthed
or meal·y·mouthed
[ mee-lee-moutht, -mouth d ]
/ ˈmi liˌmaʊθt, -ˌmaʊðd /
adjective
avoiding the use of direct and plain language, as from timidity, excessive delicacy, or hypocrisy; inclined to mince words; insincere, devious, or compromising.
Origin of mealy-mouthed
First recorded in 1565–75
OTHER WORDS FROM mealy-mouthed
meal·y-mouth·ed·ly [mee-lee-mou-thid-lee, -th id-, -moutht-, -mouth d-] /ˈmi liˌmaʊ θɪd li, -ðɪd-, -ˌmaʊθt-, -ˌmaʊðd-/, adverb meal·y-mouth·ed·ness, nounWords nearby mealy-mouthed
meals on wheels,
mealtime,
mealworm,
mealy,
mealy bug,
mealy-mouthed,
mealybug,
mean,
mean anomaly,
mean business,
mean calorie
Example sentences from the Web for mealy-mouthed
British Dictionary definitions for mealy-mouthed
mealy-mouthed
adjective
hesitant or afraid to speak plainly; not outspoken
Derived forms of mealy-mouthed
mealy-mouthedness, nounWord Origin for mealy-mouthed
C16: from
mealy (in the sense: soft, soft-spoken)