English Explanatory Dictionary

moist

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Characterized by the presence of moisture; not dry; slightly wet; damp.
  2. Of eyes: wet with tears; tearful; also (obsolete), watery due to some illness or to old age.
  3. Of a climate, the weather, etc.: damp, humid, rainy.
  4. Of the vagina: sexually lubricated due to sexual arousal; of a woman: sexually aroused, turned on.
  5. Characterized by the presence of some fluid such as mucus, pus, etc.
  6. Of sounds of internal organs (especially as heard through a stethoscope): characterized by the sound of air bubbling through a fluid.
  7. Pertaining to one of the four essential qualities formerly believed to be present in all things, characterized by wetness; also, having a significant amount of this quality.
  8. Fluid, liquid, watery.
  9. Bringing moisture or rain.
noun
  1. Moistness; also, moisture.
verb
  1. To make (something) moist or wet; to moisten.
  2. To inspire, to refresh (someone); also, to soften (one's heart).
  3. To rain lightly; to drizzle.
  4. To have an effect of moistening or wetting.
noun
  1. A follower of the religion of Moism.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/mɔɪst/ En-uk-moist.ogg En-us-moist.ogg

Word forms

moist moister more moist moistest most moist moists moisting moisted

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English moist, moiste [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman moist, moiste, moste, Middle French moiste, and Old French moiste, muste (“damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite); further etymology uncertain, perhaps a blend of a Late Latin variant of Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”) + a Late Latin derivative of Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice or wine, must”). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Synonyms

moisty bewatered damp drenched dripping drunk humid irriguous madid moist overwatered plashy saturated soaked sodden soggy soppy spewy spongy squidgy thoan thone undried watered waterlogged watery wet wetter than an otter's pocket wiery dewy-eyed misty teary weepy cryey crysome lachrymate lachrymose larmoyant maudlin sobful tearful dank close heavy muggy oppressive steamy sticky sultry sweltering tropic tropical liquidlike fluent fluid fluidal fluidic fluidical liquid dampen

Antonyms

unmoist anhydrous arid bone dry droughty dry dry as a bone exsuccous parched sare sear sere waterless dehydrate desiccate exiccate exsiccate parch

Related words

moisture moistured moistureless moistureproof moistureproofing moisturised moisturized moisturise moisturize moisturiser moisturizer moisturising moisturizing nonmoisturizing unmoisturized

Derived words

moist-adiabatic moisten moistened moistener moistening moistful moistify moistish moistly moist media moist moment moistness moist-proof moistproof moist tetter moist towelette moisty overmoist overmoisten semimoist supermoist ultramoist unmoist unmoistenable unmoistened moistless moisted moisting
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