Mimsiest

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Most prim and affectedly proper in manner or appearance ; having the weakest, most flimsy construction or the least sturdiness
2. The most prim, fussy and affectedly genteel of a group ; the most flimsy, frail or feeble in build or substance
3. Displaying the most stiff, precious and affected primness ; being the most fragile, insubstantial and feeble in quality

Etymology: "Mimsiest" is the superlative of "mimsy," which in turn is a blend of "miserable" and "flimsy," so it combines the sense of wretched with the sense of frail or poorly made. The result is a word for something feeble, prim and unhappily fragile, the kind of thing that seems to be both sorry for itself and easily broken. The superlative follows the usual pattern for adjectives ending in "-y": the "y" becomes "i" and "-est" is added, so "mimsy" gives "mimsiest" as the form describing the most of that quality within a group. The word's form therefore carries the whole blend with it, from the "mim-" of "miserable" to the "-sy" of "flimsy."

Synonyms: prim, prissy, affected, prudish

Antonyms: unaffected, natural