clammy

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Unpleasantly cold and damp, often describing skin.

   His hands were cold and clammy from fright.

2. 2
   adj

   Damp and humid in an uncomfortable way.

   The cave air was clammy and chilled them to the bone.

From Middle English clam (“viscous, sticky; slimy”) + -y, from Old English clǣman (“to smear, bedaub”). Compare German klamm (“clammy”) and klemmen (“to be stuck, stick”). See also clam.

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