somewhat gruff; having some qualities of being gruff but not completely or intensely gruff.
From 'gruff' plus the diminutive/qualifier suffix -ish, which softens or qualifies an adjective to mean 'somewhat' or 'rather like.'
The -ish suffix is delightfully vague—saying something is 'gruffish' suggests gruffness without commitment, which is why British English loves it for subtle descriptions like 'reddish' or 'coldish' instead of being precise.
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