Pushy
/ˈpʊʃ.i/noun
Aggressively self-assertive or intrusive.
Did you know?Pushy is a modern adjective built from push, and push itself is tied to an old Germanic word for striking or thrusting, which is why the word feels so physical and forceful even in conversation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*peug-
“to thrust, strike, or push”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*pūskōną
“to push, thrust”
Old English
OE
*pursian
“to push, thrust (reconstructed form)”
Middle English
ME
pushen
“to push, shove forward”
Early Modern English
English
push
“to thrust or drive forward”
19th Century
English
pushy
“inclined to push oneself forward; aggressively assertive”