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Wishy-washy

//ˈwɪʃ.iˌwɑ.ʃi// adj

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Wavering; lacking in commitment, certainty, support, and (often) clarity; namby-pamby.

    "Near-synonyms: vacillating, vacillatory"

  2. 2
    Thin or watery.

    "Near-synonyms: watered-down, diluted, dilute"

Adjective
  1. 1
    lacking courage or vitality wordnet

Etymology

Reduplication of washy; more at Wikipedia under ablaut reduplication. The wish portion of the term is explained much more by the ablaut reduplication than by any coincidental semantic appropriateness (such as that wishy-washy people wish that they could have it both ways), although the latter effect may play some nonzero cognitive role in word-finding. Compare also swish, swash, splish, and splash regarding any possible sound symbolism.

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