wetish

Wetish is an informal English adjective used to describe something that is somewhat wet or damp but not fully saturated. The term signals a level of moisture between damp and wet, and is often used to convey nuance in everyday speech, weather descriptions, and casual writing.

Usage and examples: It is chiefly colloquial and best avoided in formal contexts. It can describe surfaces (a wetish patch on the floor), clothing (a wetish sleeve), weather (the forecast looked wetish), or sensations (feet felt wetish after the hike). The form is typically written as wet‑ish in many styles, though some sources present it as a closed word, wetish.

Etymology and related terms: Wetish is formed by adding the suffix -ish to wet to indicate approximation. Related words include dampish, damp, and moist; wetish carries a stronger moisture sense than damp but less than fully wet. The distinction between wetish and damp can be subtle and highly context-dependent.

Notes on usage: While widely understood by native speakers, wetish remains informal. In technical, academic, or formal writing, alternatives such as slightly wet, damp, or moist are usually preferred.