apish

adjective

ap·​ish ˈā-pish How to pronounce apish (audio)
: resembling an ape: such as
a
: having an apelike appearance
an apish jaw
b
: extremely silly or affected
apish antics
c
: given to unoriginal imitation
… the results … are truly phenomenal. Nor is it mere apish copying.Abraham Cahan
apishly adverb
apishness noun

Examples of apish in a Sentence

whenever I smiled, the baby would respond with an apish grin
Recent Examples on the Web In his twilight years, Art would make good on his name and let his penchant for art shine, brightening the lives of the residents of Cedar Mountain Commons with his signature acrylic paintings, including the colorful, apish Jojo. courant.com, 5 Nov. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'apish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1525, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of apish was circa 1525

Dictionary Entries Near apish

Cite this Entry

“Apish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apish. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

apish

adjective
ap·​ish ˈā-pish How to pronounce apish (audio)
1
: very silly
apish antics
2
: imitating closely
apishly adverb
apishness noun
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