What does cleverish mean?
Cleverish is an adjective used to describe something that has a clever or ingenious quality, but not quite to the extent of being clever. It is often used to convey a sense of admiration or approval for something that is ingenious, but not quite brilliant. The word is commonly used in British and US English, and is often used in informal contexts. Cleverish can be used to describe a person, a solution, or an idea, and is often used in conjunction with other words that describe cleverness or ingenuity. For example, 'Her cleverish solution to the problem impressed the judges.' or 'The artist's cleverish use of color added depth to the painting.'
adjectiveHaving a clever or ingenious quality, but not quite to the extent of being clever.
- Having a clever or ingenious quality, but not quite to the extent of being clever.
"Her cleverish solution to the problem impressed the judges."
"Her cleverish solution to the problem impressed the judges."
"The artist's cleverish use of color added depth to the painting."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cleverish
The word cleverish is derived from the adjective clever, which means having a clever or ingenious quality. The suffix -ish is added to clever to form cleverish, which means having a clever or ingenious quality, but not quite to the extent of being clever. The word is thought to have originated in the mid-20th century, and is likely a colloquialism or a dialectical variant of the word clever.
How cleverish is actually used
Cleverish is often used to describe something that is clever, but not quite to the extent of being clever. It can be used to convey a sense of admiration or approval for something that is ingenious, but not quite brilliant.