Drunkish

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Somewhat intoxicated or showing mild signs of alcohol consumption without being completely inebriated
2. Having a slight degree of intoxication that is noticeable yet not full-fledged
3. exhibiting behaviors associated with light drinking without reaching a state of severe inebriation

Etymology: "Drunkish" is a plain formation: the adjective "drunk" with the suffix "-ish," which attaches to adjectives to mean "somewhat" or "rather" (as in "greenish" or "tallish"). Put together, it describes someone who is a little tipsy without being fully drunk. The suffix does most of the work here. "-ish" has been used to soften adjectives since Old English, where it appeared in words like "reddish," so "drunkish" simply applies that familiar softening to "drunk." The result is a more casual, understated way of saying someone has had a few too many, and it sits comfortably alongside other informal "-ish" coinages.

Synonyms: tipsy, buzzed, slightly intoxicated

Antonyms: sober, clear-headed