Blockish

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Awkward, clumsy, or lacking grace in manner or appearance, resembling a block in stiffness or ungainliness
2. Characterized by a lack of smoothness or finesse, showing stiffness or ungainly motions
3. Displaying a dull or heavy manner that suggests difficulty or awkwardness in actions

Etymology: "Blockish" is a plain formation: the noun "block" with the suffix "-ish" attached, meaning "like a block" or "resembling a block." The suffix goes back a long way. It descends from a Proto-Indo-European root that passed through Proto-Germanic and Old English, where "-isc" meant "of or belonging to" a people or thing, and it became "-ish" in English through Middle English "-isch." The stiff, clumsy sense of "blockish" fits the picture neatly. A block of wood or stone is solid, heavy, and not easily moved, so describing someone's movements as "blockish" suggests they lack the fluid grace of a limber body. The word's core image is of a thing that moves like a lump rather than a limb.

Synonyms: clumsy, awkward

Antonyms: graceful, agile