clumsy

Possibly from an alteration of clumsed (“benumbed”) or from clumse (“a stupid fellow; lout”) +‎ -y. More at clumse.

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈklʌmzi/

• Audio (US):

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clumsy (comparative clumsier, superlative clumsiest)

1. Awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous.

   He's very clumsy. I wouldn't trust him with carrying the dishes.

2. Not elegant or well-planned, lacking tact or subtlety.

   It is a clumsy solution, but it might work for now.

   What a clumsy joke

3. Awkward or inefficient in use or construction, difficult to handle or manage especially because of shape.

clumsy (plural clumsies)

1. (informal, fairly rare) A clumsy person.
   • 1934, P[amela] L[yndon] Travers, “Bad Tuesday”, in Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins; 1), London: Gerald Howe Ltd […], →OCLC, page 82:

     On the stairs he met Ellen, the housemaid, and as he passed her he knocked the hot-water jug out of her hand. “Well, you are a clumsy,” said Ellen, as she bent down to mop up the water.

• butterfingers
• galoot
• klutz

• clumsies

• cumyls, muscly