Unpleasant, sticky, or disgusting; something that feels gross or makes you uncomfortable.
Origin uncertain, possibly from a reduplication of 'ick' (an exclamation of disgust). Became popular in American English, especially among children, in the early 20th century.
Languages all have special 'disgust words' that kids use—English has 'icky,' but other languages have similar ones that are often sound-based, like they're trying to express the feeling of gagging with their mouth.
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