What does wettish mean?
Wettish means somewhat wet or damp. It describes a limited degree of moisture rather than complete saturation, often referring to weather, surfaces, clothing, or hair. For example, one might describe a rainy walk as leaving the streets “wettish” or call a cool, humid afternoon wettish. The word is especially common in informal British English, though it is understood and used elsewhere as well. Its connotation can range from neutral to slightly disparaging: calling something wettish often suggests dampness that is just enough to be uncomfortable or inconvenient. Compared with the straightforward “wet,” wettish softens or narrows the statement, and compared with “damp,” it may suggest moisture that is rather more noticeable. It is a useful word when the amount of wetness matters but calling something completely soaked would be inaccurate.
adjectiveSomewhat wet; damp.
- Somewhat wet; damp.
"After a wettish morning, the sun finally broke through the clouds."
"The drizzle left the pavement cold and wettish."
"Her wettish curls clung to her forehead as she hurried inside."
When the forecast says “wettish,” it is offering a compromise between merely damp and unmistakably soaked.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of wettish
Wettish was formed in English by adding the adjectival suffix -ish to wet, expressing the meaning “somewhat wet.” The root wet descends from Old English wæt and has cognates in other Germanic languages, including Old Norse vátr. The suffix -ish is a productive English element widely used to form adjectives denoting a moderate degree of a quality.
Related word forms
How wettish is actually used
Informal and familiar. It is especially common in British English and can imply that the dampness is mildly bothersome, although it can also be used neutrally.
Easily confused with wettish
Wet means covered, soaked, or thoroughly moist, whereas wettish means only somewhat wet or damp.