slovenly — untidy or careless in appearance or habits
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: untidy or careless in appearance or habits
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈslʌvənli/
Example Sentences
- The professor was brilliant but had a slovenly appearance that made students giggle.
- Her slovenly room was a maze of clothes, books, and pizza boxes.
- The company fired him for his slovenly work attitude.
slovenly
ADJECTIVE[/ˈslʌvənli/]
untidy or careless in appearance or habits
His slovenly desk is buried under crumbs, stains, and yesterday's socks.
Slow sloth, sloppy style - slovenly and slow, meanwhile!
From slovenly to lovely, heavenly!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Middle Dutch 'slof' meaning slovenly or loose, combined with the English diminutive suffix '-en'. The word entered English in the 16th century to describe someone of slovenly or careless habits.
Breakdown
slove (base, related to Dutch 'slof' meaning loose/slovenly) + -ly (adverb/adjective suffix indicating manner or quality) = slovenly
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The professor was brilliant but had a slovenly appearance that made students giggle.”
“Her slovenly room was a maze of clothes, books, and pizza boxes.”
“The company fired him for his slovenly work attitude.”
“Despite being wealthy, he was known for his slovenly dress sense.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.