sappy

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈsæpi/ UK /ˈsæpi/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like chappy /tʃ/ vs /s/

adj

Meanings

1

adj
excessively sentimental; also, full of sap

The movie's ending was too sappy for my taste.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · excessively sentimental;... sentimental mawkish mushy maudlin saccharinecloyingcorny

Opposites

unsentimentalcynical dry

Word family

Derived forms sappinesssappily

Related forms sap sapless sapful sapling

Etymology

From sap + -y; sap derives from Old English sæp ('plant juice'). The sense 'overly sentimental' is an American extension, perhaps via the idea of soft, watery sapwood.

sæp Old English *sapą Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# sappy

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈsæpi
**IPA (UK):** ˈsæpi

## Meanings
1. excessively sentimental; also, full of sap

## Examples
- The movie's ending was too sappy for my taste.

## Synonyms
- sentimental
- mawkish
- mushy
- maudlin
- saccharine
- cloying
- corny

## Antonyms
- unsentimental
- cynical
- dry

## Derived Forms
- sappiness
- sappily

## Related Forms
- sap
- sapless
- sapful
- sapling

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: sæp
- Root: *sapą

## Etymology
From sap + -y; sap derives from Old English sæp ('plant juice'). The sense 'overly sentimental' is an American extension, perhaps via the idea of soft, watery sapwood.

## AI Etymology
Sappy comes from sap + -y; sap derives from Old English sæp ('plant juice'). The sense 'overly sentimental' is an American extension, perhaps via the idea of soft, watery sapwood. The suffix is part of the word's derivational shape, marking the final grammatical or semantic role while the base supplies the central meaning. As an adjective, it carries the sense "excessively sentimental; also, full of sap", with the older formation still helping explain the modern use. Relevant historical forms include Old English sæp and Proto-Germanic *sapą. Derivative forms include sappiness, sappily; related words include sap, sapless, sapful, sapling.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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