Gawkiness
/ˈɡɔːki.nəs/noun
The quality of being awkward, clumsy, or ungainly in movement or manner.
Did you know?Gawkiness is built on *gawk*, a word historically linked to gawping or staring, so the insult began as a picture of someone so awkward they seemed publicly spellbound.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*gawkōną
“to gape, stare, or act foolishly”
Middle English
English
gawken
“to stare or gape foolishly”
16th Century
English
gawk
“a fool; a clumsy or awkward person”
Late 16th Century
English
gawky
“awkward, ungainly, or clumsy”
19th Century
English
gawkiness
“the quality of being gawky or awkward”