rummy

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈrʌm.i/ UK /ˈrʌm.i/ See IPA manual

Freq #23609

Meanings

1

adj
in informal British use, odd, peculiar, or suspicious

It was a rummy business, and no one could explain the missing key.
2

noun
any of a family of card games based on collecting matching sets and sequences

They played rummy beside the fire until midnight.
3

noun
a dated and disparaging term for a person who drinks alcohol habitually

The novel portrays him as the neighborhood rummy, always asking for a drink.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · in informal british use,... odd strange peculiar

2 noun · any of a family of card... card game

3 noun · a dated and disparaging... drunkardchronic drinker

Opposites

ordinary conventional

Word family

Forms rummiest

Derived forms rummilyrumminess

Related forms rumgin rummycanasta

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

gin rummy
a card game in which players form sets and reduce unmatched cards

Noun + noun

Etymology

The British adjective is formed from rum ("odd or queer") + -y. The card-game name, recorded around 1900, is of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with rum or with German Ruhm ("glory"). The dated word for a drinker is formed directly from rum + -y.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# rummy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈrʌm.i/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈrʌm.i/
**Frequency rank:** 23609

## Meanings
1. in informal British use, odd, peculiar, or suspicious
2. any of a family of card games based on collecting matching sets and sequences
3. a dated and disparaging term for a person who drinks alcohol habitually

## Examples
- It was a rummy business, and no one could explain the missing key.
- They played rummy beside the fire until midnight.
- The novel portrays him as the neighborhood rummy, always asking for a drink.

## Synonyms
- odd
- strange
- peculiar
- card game
- drunkard

## Antonyms
- ordinary
- conventional

## Derived Forms
- rummily
- rumminess

## Related Forms
- rum
- gin rummy
- canasta

## Etymology
The British adjective is formed from rum ("odd or queer") + -y. The card-game name, recorded around 1900, is of uncertain origin, perhaps connected with rum or with German Ruhm ("glory"). The dated word for a drinker is formed directly from rum + -y.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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