Quacky

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having a wobbly, unstable quality or resembling the harsh sound made by a duck
2. Exhibiting bizarre or eccentric traits that evoke the sound made by a duck
3. Characterized by a shaky or unsteady nature ; displaying unusual or peculiar behavior similar to a quack sound

Etymology: "Quacky" is about as plain as English etymology gets: it is the adjective "quack" with the suffix "-y" added, meaning "like a quack" or "having the qualities of a quack." The "-y" ending is a very old and productive English suffix, used for centuries to turn nouns into adjectives, as in "sandy," "milky," or "cloudy." The base word "quack" is itself imitative. Its original sense was the harsh cry of a duck, and the word was used that way long before it came to describe a fraudulent healer. The idea of a noisy, unsteady, or eccentric creature is what carries over into "quacky," so the adjective keeps its link to the bird's call even when applied to people or machinery.

Synonyms: foolish, absurd, ridiculous

Antonyms: sensible, reasonable