suspicious

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /səˈspɪʃ.əs/ See IPA manual

Freq #2839

Meanings

1

adj
Making you feel that something is wrong or dishonest.

His suspicious behaviour brought him to the attention of the police.
2

adj
Feeling that you cannot trust someone or something.

She was suspicious of his sudden kindness.
3

adj
Showing that you do not trust someone.

She gave me a suspicious look.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · making you feel that... questionable

2 adj · feeling that you cannot... doubtful leery wary

Word family

Derived forms non-suspiciousnonsuspicioussus suspiciously suspiciousness

Related forms odd strange sus suspect suspicion unsuspecting

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

suspicious stranger
an unfamiliar person whose behavior causes concern or mistrust

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Old French sospecious, from Latin suspiciosus, suspitiosus.

*speḱ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# suspicious

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /səˈspɪʃ.əs/
**Frequency rank:** 2839

## Meanings
1. Making you feel that something is wrong or dishonest.
2. Feeling that you cannot trust someone or something.
3. Showing that you do not trust someone.

## Examples
- His suspicious behaviour brought him to the attention of the police.
- She was suspicious of his sudden kindness.
- She gave me a suspicious look.

## Derived Forms
- non-suspicious
- nonsuspicious
- sus
- suspiciously
- suspiciousness

## Related Forms
- odd
- strange
- sus
- suspect
- suspicion
- unsuspecting

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *speḱ-

## Etymology
From Old French sospecious, from Latin suspiciosus, suspitiosus.

## AI Etymology
Suspicious is from Old French sospecious, from Latin suspiciosus, suspitiosus. In present-day use, it can mean making you feel that something is wrong or dishonest, or feeling that you cannot trust someone or something. Derived formations include non-suspicious, nonsuspicious, sus, suspiciously, suspiciousness.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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