What does pukey mean?
Pukey is an informal adjective chiefly used to describe feeling ill or nauseated, especially when someone seems close to vomiting. Expressions such as 'feel a bit pukey' and 'look pukey' are natural in everyday conversation, although the word would be unsuitable for formal or medical contexts. A less common chiefly British use describes something excessive or overdone, as in saying that a meal is 'a bit pukey'. The word is blunt and conversational rather than polite or euphemistic. It can therefore express both physical discomfort and casual disapproval of something that feels overwhelming, rich, excessive, or badly balanced. Although its spelling and pronunciation may be unfamiliar, its meaning is usually easy to infer from context.
adjectiveFeeling ill, especially likely to vomit. In chiefly British informal usage, it can also mean excessive or overdone.
- Feeling ill or nauseated, especially to the point of vomiting.
- Having too much of something; excessive or overdone.
"She felt a bit pukey after the long journey."
"I felt rather pukey after eating the rich meal."
"The menu was a little pukey, with heavy sauces on nearly every dish."
Feeling pukey means that breakfast may be about to become an unpleasant experience.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pukey come from?
Pukey is a 20th-century informal English word whose precise origin is uncertain. It is commonly associated with the idea of vomiting, but the historical connection with the verb puke is not securely established, and no dependable group of cognates can be identified.
Related word forms
How pukey is actually used
This is informal and is normally used predicatively, especially in expressions such as 'feel pukey'. The second, chiefly British sense is often dismissive.