Queasy

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkwiː.zi/

Definitions

1. Experiencing a sensation of discomfort and nausea that may lead to an uneasy feeling in the stomach or a general sense of malaise
2. Referring to a state of feeling ill or unwell, often associated with nausea, or a lack of composure and calmness in various situations
3. Feeling physically unsettled with an urge to vomit or general stomach discomfort ; having a mental or emotional state marked by discomfort or reluctance

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "queasy" is that its earliest sense may have had little to do with stomachs. The Middle English form "coysy" is thought to possibly come from Old Norse "kveisa," meaning "boil," the kind of painful swelling that makes a body part hard to bear. A related Norwegian dialect word, "kveise," keeps that sense of a sore or ailing spot alive, so the original idea was discomfort in the flesh rather than nausea. The word may also have been shaped by Anglo-Norman "queisier" and Old French "coisier," meaning "to wound, hurt, make uneasy." That blend of physical pain and mental unease explains why the word could move easily from a sore body to a troubled mind. Over time, the sense of general unwellness narrowed toward the stomach-churning feeling we recognize now, while the older meaning of lacking calm and composure survived alongside it.

Synonyms: nauseous, sick, unsettled, discomforted

Antonyms: comfortable, settled, content, calm