Fulsomnesse

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The quality of being overly flattering or praising someone excessively and often insincerely
2. Excessive and often cloying compliments or approval given in a way that seems dishonest or manipulative
3. The state of offering abundant praise or adulation that appears exaggerated and lacking genuine feeling

Etymology: "Fulsomnesse" is an early spelling of "fulsomness," the quality of being fulsome. The adjective began in Middle English as a plain description of abundance, formed from "full" and the suffix "-some," the same ending found in "handsome" and "wholesome." The noun adds "-ness," an old and productive English suffix for turning an adjective into a quality. In its earliest sense, fulsome meant plentiful or abundant, with no hint of criticism. The meaning soured as abundance spilled over into excess. Fulsome came to mean offensive or sickening through overabundance, and by the early modern period it was most often applied to flattery laid on too thick. That sense of excess still clings to the adjective, so praise called fulsome is usually understood as gushing or insincere rather than generous.