"fulsome" meaning in English

See fulsome in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

IPA: /ˈfʊlsəm/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav Forms: fulsomer [comparative], fulsomest [superlative]
Etymology: From Middle English fulsom, equivalent to ful- + -some. The meaning has evolved from an original positive connotation "abundant" to a neutral "plump" to a negative "overfed". In modern usage, it can take on any of these inflections. See usage note. The negative sense "offensive, gross; disgusting, sickening" developed secondarily after the 13th century and was influenced by Middle English foul (“foul”). In the 18th century, the word was sometimes even spelled foulsome. Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|fulsom}} Middle English fulsom, {{confix|en|ful|some}} ful- + -some, {{noncog|enm|foul||foul}} Middle English foul (“foul”) Head templates: {{en-adj|er}} fulsome (comparative fulsomer, superlative fulsomest)
  1. Offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive. Translations (offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive): taktlos (German), geschmacklos (German), übereifrig (German), übertrieben (German), widerlich (German), fulsom (Middle English)
    Sense id: en-fulsome-en-adj-MHepufNm Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with ful-, English terms suffixed with -some, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with German translations, Terms with Malayalam translations, Terms with Middle English translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 32 32 29 7 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with ful-: 30 33 22 15 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -some: 32 34 24 10 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 39 36 19 7 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 32 33 29 6 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 34 32 30 4 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 36 23 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Malayalam translations: 33 37 24 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Middle English translations: 32 36 24 8 Disambiguation of 'offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive': 91 4 2 2
  2. Excessively flattering (connoting insincerity). Synonyms (excessively flattering): effusive, unctuous Translations (excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)): schmeichlerisch (German), überschwänglich (German), anbiedernd (German)
    Sense id: en-fulsome-en-adj-tHdIWzg9 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with ful-, English terms suffixed with -some, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with German translations, Terms with Malayalam translations, Terms with Middle English translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 32 32 29 7 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with ful-: 30 33 22 15 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -some: 32 34 24 10 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 39 36 19 7 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 32 33 29 6 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 34 32 30 4 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 36 23 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Malayalam translations: 33 37 24 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Middle English translations: 32 36 24 8 Disambiguation of 'excessively flattering': 4 85 3 8 Disambiguation of 'excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)': 5 89 3 3
  3. Characterised or marked by fullness; abundant, copious. Synonyms (abundant, copious): profuse Translations (abundant, copious): reichhaltig (German), ausgiebig (German), reichlich (German), weitschweifig (German), üppig (German), überreichlich (German), uneingeschränkt (German), അമിത (amita) (Malayalam), fulsom (Middle English)
    Sense id: en-fulsome-en-adj-I-LwzBeA Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with ful-, English terms suffixed with -some, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with German translations, Terms with Malayalam translations, Terms with Middle English translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 32 32 29 7 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with ful-: 30 33 22 15 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -some: 32 34 24 10 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 39 36 19 7 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 32 33 29 6 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 34 32 30 4 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 34 36 23 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Malayalam translations: 33 37 24 6 Disambiguation of Terms with Middle English translations: 32 36 24 8 Disambiguation of 'abundant, copious': 0 0 97 2 Disambiguation of 'abundant, copious': 0 0 97 2
  4. Fully developed; mature. Translations (fully developed, mature): reif (German), vollentwickelt (German), gereift (German), entwickelt (German)
    Sense id: en-fulsome-en-adj-k9LV36RZ Categories (other): English terms prefixed with ful-, English terms suffixed with -some Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with ful-: 30 33 22 15 Disambiguation of English terms suffixed with -some: 32 34 24 10 Disambiguation of 'fully developed, mature': 2 1 1 96
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: gross [offensive], fullsome [archaic] Related terms: fulsomely, fulsomeness

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

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      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Relates Several Particulars of the Yahoos. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 276:",
          "text": "[T]he Weather exceeding hot, I entreated him to let me bathe in a River that was near. He conſented, and I immediately ſtripped myſelf ſtark naked, and went down ſoftly into the ſtream. It happened that a young Female Yahoo ſtanding behind a Bank, ſaw the whole proceeding, and enflamed by Deſire, as the Nag and I conjectured, came running with all ſpeed, and leaped into the Water within five Yards of the Place where I bathed. [...] She embraced me after a moſt fulſome manner; [...]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1820 March, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Monastery. A Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Co., and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC:",
          "text": "You will hear the advanced enfans perdus, as the French call them, and so they are indeed, namely, children of the fall, singing unclean and fulsome ballads of sin and harlotrie.",
          "type": "quote"
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        "Offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive."
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          "Offensive",
          "offensive"
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          "excessive",
          "excessive"
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          "_dis1": "91 4 2 2",
          "code": "de",
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          "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
          "word": "taktlos"
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          "_dis1": "91 4 2 2",
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          "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
          "word": "widerlich"
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        {
          "ref": "1889, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “The Yankee and the King Sold as Slaves”, in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, New York, N.Y.: Charles L. Webster & Company, →OCLC, page 448:",
          "text": "And by hideous contrast, a redundant orator was making a speech to another gathering not thirty steps away, in fulsome laudation of \"our glorious British liberties!\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 15: Circe]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], pages 441–442:",
          "text": "He addressed me in several handwritings with fulsome compliments as a Venus in furs [...]",
          "type": "quote"
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        {
          "ref": "2018 January 28, Dafydd Pritchard, “Cardiff City 1 – 1 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "City overcame a spirited effort from Cardiff's Championship rivals Bristol City in a keenly contested Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday night, with manager Pep Guardiola fulsome in his praise for Lee Johnson's men over two legs.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
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          "_dis1": "4 85 3 8",
          "sense": "excessively flattering",
          "word": "effusive"
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        {
          "_dis1": "4 85 3 8",
          "sense": "excessively flattering",
          "word": "unctuous"
        }
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          "_dis1": "5 89 3 3",
          "code": "de",
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          "sense": "excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)",
          "word": "schmeichlerisch"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "5 89 3 3",
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          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)",
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          "_dis1": "5 89 3 3",
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        {
          "text": "The fulsome thanks of the war-torn nation lifted our weary spirits.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 December 14, David Turner, “The Edwardian Christmas getaway...”, in RAIL, number 972, page 35:",
          "text": "These extra services before Christmas Day were in addition to fulsome train facilities on the day, with many companies running a Sunday service.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
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        "Characterised or marked by fullness; abundant, copious."
      ],
      "id": "en-fulsome-en-adj-I-LwzBeA",
      "links": [
        [
          "marked",
          "mark#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "fullness",
          "fullness"
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        [
          "abundant",
          "abundant"
        ],
        [
          "copious",
          "copious"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "profuse"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "reichhaltig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "ausgiebig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "reichlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "weitschweifig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "üppig"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "überreichlich"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "uneingeschränkt"
        },
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          "_dis1": "0 0 97 2",
          "code": "ml",
          "lang": "Malayalam",
          "roman": "amita",
          "sense": "abundant, copious",
          "word": "അമിത"
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      ],
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        [
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      ],
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        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 1 96",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "fully developed, mature",
          "word": "reif"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 1 96",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "fully developed, mature",
          "word": "vollentwickelt"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 1 96",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "fully developed, mature",
          "word": "gereift"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 1 1 96",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "fully developed, mature",
          "word": "entwickelt"
        }
      ]
    }
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      "ipa": "/ˈfʊlsəm/"
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    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "offensive"
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      "word": "gross"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0",
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "fullsome"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fulsome"
}
{
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    "English entries with incorrect language header",
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    "English terms suffixed with -some",
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    {
      "args": {
        "1": "er"
      },
      "expansion": "fulsome (comparative fulsomer, superlative fulsomest)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "fulsomely"
    },
    {
      "word": "fulsomeness"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author Relates Several Particulars of the Yahoos. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume II, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part IV (A Voyage to the Houyhnhnms), page 276:",
          "text": "[T]he Weather exceeding hot, I entreated him to let me bathe in a River that was near. He conſented, and I immediately ſtripped myſelf ſtark naked, and went down ſoftly into the ſtream. It happened that a young Female Yahoo ſtanding behind a Bank, ſaw the whole proceeding, and enflamed by Deſire, as the Nag and I conjectured, came running with all ſpeed, and leaped into the Water within five Yards of the Place where I bathed. [...] She embraced me after a moſt fulſome manner; [...]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1820 March, [Walter Scott], chapter X, in The Monastery. A Romance. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […]; and for Archibald Constable and Co., and John Ballantyne, […], →OCLC:",
          "text": "You will hear the advanced enfans perdus, as the French call them, and so they are indeed, namely, children of the fall, singing unclean and fulsome ballads of sin and harlotrie.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Offensive",
          "offensive"
        ],
        [
          "tactless",
          "tactless"
        ],
        [
          "overzealous",
          "overzealous"
        ],
        [
          "excessive",
          "excessive"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1889, Mark Twain [pseudonym; Samuel Langhorne Clemens], “The Yankee and the King Sold as Slaves”, in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, New York, N.Y.: Charles L. Webster & Company, →OCLC, page 448:",
          "text": "And by hideous contrast, a redundant orator was making a speech to another gathering not thirty steps away, in fulsome laudation of \"our glorious British liberties!\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1922 February, James Joyce, “[Episode 15: Circe]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC, part II [Odyssey], pages 441–442:",
          "text": "He addressed me in several handwritings with fulsome compliments as a Venus in furs [...]",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2018 January 28, Dafydd Pritchard, “Cardiff City 1 – 1 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport:",
          "text": "City overcame a spirited effort from Cardiff's Championship rivals Bristol City in a keenly contested Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday night, with manager Pep Guardiola fulsome in his praise for Lee Johnson's men over two legs.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Excessively",
          "excessively"
        ],
        [
          "flatter",
          "flatter"
        ],
        [
          "insincerity",
          "insincerity"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The fulsome thanks of the war-torn nation lifted our weary spirits.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2022 December 14, David Turner, “The Edwardian Christmas getaway...”, in RAIL, number 972, page 35:",
          "text": "These extra services before Christmas Day were in addition to fulsome train facilities on the day, with many companies running a Sunday service.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Characterised or marked by fullness; abundant, copious."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "marked",
          "mark#Verb"
        ],
        [
          "fullness",
          "fullness"
        ],
        [
          "abundant",
          "abundant"
        ],
        [
          "copious",
          "copious"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Her fulsome timbre resonated throughout the hall.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Fully developed; mature."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Fully",
          "fully"
        ],
        [
          "developed",
          "developed#Adjective"
        ],
        [
          "mature",
          "mature#Adjective"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈfʊlsəm/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/be/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/b/be/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-fulsome.wav.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "offensive"
      ],
      "word": "gross"
    },
    {
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "profuse"
    },
    {
      "sense": "excessively flattering",
      "word": "effusive"
    },
    {
      "sense": "excessively flattering",
      "word": "unctuous"
    },
    {
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "word": "fullsome"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "taktlos"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "geschmacklos"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "übereifrig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "übertrieben"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "widerlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "offensive to good taste, tactless, overzealous, excessive",
      "word": "fulsom"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)",
      "word": "schmeichlerisch"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)",
      "word": "überschwänglich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "excessively flattering (connoting insincerity)",
      "word": "anbiedernd"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "reichhaltig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "ausgiebig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "reichlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "weitschweifig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "üppig"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "überreichlich"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "uneingeschränkt"
    },
    {
      "code": "ml",
      "lang": "Malayalam",
      "roman": "amita",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "അമിത"
    },
    {
      "code": "enm",
      "lang": "Middle English",
      "sense": "abundant, copious",
      "word": "fulsom"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "fully developed, mature",
      "word": "reif"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "fully developed, mature",
      "word": "vollentwickelt"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "fully developed, mature",
      "word": "gereift"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "fully developed, mature",
      "word": "entwickelt"
    }
  ],
  "word": "fulsome"
}

Download raw JSONL data for fulsome meaning in English (8.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-18 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (e4a2c88 and 4230888). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.