Definition
Sentimental in a feeble or sickly way; having a disgusting lack of flavor or vigor. Mawkish sentimentality is so overdone that it becomes nauseating rather than touching.
Etymology
From 'mawk,' an old word for a maggot, originally meaning 'sickly' or 'nauseated.' The connection between maggots and false sentiment isn't obvious, but both involve something that appears wholesome on the surface but is actually rotten underneath.
Kelly Says
The 'mawk' (maggot) connection is perfect - mawkish sentiment looks sweet but there's something rotten about it. It's like finding a worm in your apple: what seemed wholesome becomes disgusting. Mawkish emotions make you feel slightly sick.
Translations
ARالعربية
مُلَحِّن
mu-llah-hin
CACatalà
mawkish
mow-kish
CSČeština
mawkish
mow-kish
DEDeutsch
schmalzig
shmal-zig
ELΕλληνικά
mawkish
mow-kish
ESEspañol
sentimental
sen-tee-men-tal
FRFrançais
mélancolique
meh-lan-ko-leek
HIहिन्दी
अतिशय भावुक
a-tee-shay bhaavuk
HUMagyar
mawkish
mow-kish
IDBahasa Indonesia
mawkish
mow-kish
ITItaliano
sentimental
sen-tee-men-tal
MSBahasa Melayu
mawkish
mow-kish
MYမြန်မာ
mawkish
mow-kish
NLNederlands
mawkish
mow-kish
PLPolski
mawkish
mow-kish
PTPortuguês
sentimental
sen-tee-men-tal
RORomână
mawkish
mow-kish
RUРусский
слишком эмоциональный
slishkom emotsional'nyy
SVSvenska
mawkish
mow-kish
SWKiswahili
mawkish
mow-kish
TEతెలుగు
mawkish
mow-kish
TRTürkçe
aşırı duygusal
ash-ee duy-goo-sal
UKУкраїнська
mawkish
mow-kish
VITiếng Việt
mawkish
mow-kish