Clumsiest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exhibiting the highest degree of awkwardness or lack of coordination in physical movement
2. Showing the greatest lack of smoothness or grace during motions
3. Displaying extreme difficulty in controlling bodily actions or balance

Etymology: "Clumsiest" is the superlative of "clumsy", so the history belongs to the base word. "Clumsy" is probably an alteration of "clumsed", meaning "benumbed", a past participle of a verb meaning to numb, perhaps with cold or stiffness. The idea was of a body too stiff or numb to move gracefully, which is why the word still centres on physical awkwardness. The other possible source is "clumse", a dialect word for a stupid fellow or lout, to which the suffix "-y" was added. That would shift the sense from a numbed limb to a dull person, and the two theories are not mutually exclusive, since the word may have been reshaped by both. The uncertainty is real, and the sources do not settle which one came first.

Synonyms: awkwardest, ungainliest, inelegant, blundering, gawkiest

Antonyms: graceful, coordinated, elegant, agile, skillful