Chinky

/ˈtʃɪŋki/ adjective

Definition

Full of chinks (cracks or small openings), characterized by the sound of chinking, or (rarely) resembling or related to chinks or narrow openings.

Etymology

From 'chink' (a crack or the sound) plus '-y' adjectival suffix, creating descriptive adjectives from nouns, following patterns like 'rocky' from 'rock.'

Kelly Says

In frontier descriptions, 'chinky cabin' was blunt criticism meaning 'gaps will kill you in winter'—it's a good reminder that much older English was more direct and brutal in describing threats.

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