- Today's Word
Wonky
[WONG-kee]
Definition
- (adjective) Unsteady, shaky, or not functioning properly. It can also refer to ideas or policies that are overly complicated or impractical, especially in political contexts. In British English, it can mean something that is crooked or off-center.
Example
After the earthquake, the building’s structure was a bit wonky, with some walls leaning at odd angles and doors that wouldn’t close properly.
Fun Fact
The origin of “wonky” is uncertain, but it’s believed to have emerged in British English in the early 20th century. Some linguists speculate it might be related to the Dutch word “wankel,” meaning unstable or tottering. In recent years, “wonky” has taken on additional meaning in political circles, where a “policy wonk” is someone who studies a topic in great detail, often to the point of becoming an expert in very specific and technical aspects of policy.
(adjective) Excessively eager to please or obey; fawning and submissive to the point of being insincere.
The new intern was so obsequious — laughing at every joke, volunteering for every errand, agreeing with every opinion — that even the managers who enjoyed the flattery found it unsettling.
Obsequious derives from the Latin obsequiosus, meaning “compliant” or “accommodating,” rooted in obsequium, meaning “compliance” or “dutiful service,” from obsequi — “to follow after” or “to comply with.” It entered English in the 15th century originally without negative connotation, simply describing dutiful service. By the 17th century, writers began using it specifically to describe excessive, servile flattery — and the negative undertone has stuck ever since.