English Lexicon

Iffy

/ˈɪf.i/
adjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #8500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Full of uncertainty; doubtful, questionable, or risky.

    "The weather forecast looks a bit iffy for our outdoor picnic."
  2. 2

    Of dubious quality, legality, or reliability.

    "He bought a used car from an iffy dealership on the edge of town."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the conjunction 'if' combined with the suffix '-y' to form a colloquial adjective denoting uncertainty. First appearing in the early 20th century, it evolved from informal journalistic slang to standard colloquial English to describe questionable or risky situations.

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