mawkish

UK: /ˈmɔːkɪʃ/ US: /ˈmɔkɪʃ/ ,(mô′kish)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

mawk•ish /ˈmɔkɪʃ/   adj. 

1. overly emotional or sad;
   maudlin:
   gets to be a little mawkish when he talks about his childhood.

mawk•ish•ly, adv. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

mawk•ish  (mô′kish), adj. 

1. characterized by sickly sentimentality;
   weakly emotional;
   maudlin.
2. having a mildly sickening flavor;
   slightly nauseating.

• Old Norse mathkr maggot) + -ish¹. See maggot
• obsolete mawk maggot (late Middle English 1660–70

mawk′ish•ly, adv. 
mawk′ish•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. sentimental, teary.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

mawkish / ˈmɔːkɪʃ/ adjective

1. falsely sentimental, esp in a weak or maudlin way
2. nauseating or insipid in flavour, smell, etc

Etymology: 17th Century: from obsolete mawk maggot + -ish

ˈmawkishly adverb

ˈmawkishness noun