Tickly

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Producing a light prickling or itching feeling on the skin ; ticklish, easily made to laugh or squirm when touched lightly ; awkward, delicate, or requiring careful handling
2. Giving a faint tingling or itching sensation to the body ; easily set off into laughter or wriggling by light touch ; touchy, precarious, or demanding tact to manage
3. Causing a slight itch or tingle on the skin ; sensitive to light touches that make a person giggle ; hard to deal with, needing a careful touch

Etymology: Tickly is about as plain as English etymology gets: it is simply the verb "tickle" with the adjective-forming suffix "-y" added to it. The suffix, which descends from an Old English ending meaning "full of" or "having the quality of," turns the verb into a description of something that produces tickling or is sensitive to it. Its sense is therefore literal from the start, with no figurative drift to trace. The verb behind it is the more interesting half. "Tickle" comes from the same Middle English root that gave us words for light touching and tingling, and it has long been applied both to physical sensations and to the sense of being amused or pleased. A "tickly" cough, a "tickly" wool sweater, and a "tickly" situation all draw on that double meaning.

Synonyms: ticklish