ick

[ ik ]

interjection

1. (used as an expression of distaste or repugnance.)

noun

1. Informal. something or someone that causes feelings of distaste or repugnance:

   If your dog has an eye infection, regularly wipe the ick from his eyes and nose with a clean, damp, warm washcloth.

   It's a big ick for me when someone is rude to waitstaff.

2. the ick, Slang. a sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to the actions of another person:

   I once got the ick when a guy I was dating used an emoji that annoyed me.

3. the ick, Chiefly British Informal. an illness, especially one such as a cold or flu:

   It seems like everyone in the office is coming down with the ick at once.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ick¹

First recorded in 1965–70; of expressive origin

Example Sentences

“I like working with blood sucking insects because of their uniqueness and the ick factor, complex interactions with their hosts and their fascinating role in both ecological and human health contexts,” Insaurralde said.

From Salon

The photographic evidence led her to two possible conclusions: Either he was too good for her, or he was too nice — the kind of guy who’d fall all over himself trying to please her, causing her to inevitably get the ick.

From Los Angeles Times

Seeing the lack of representation is "literally why we started," says Megan Fretwell from Panic Shack, an alternative girl group from Cardiff who blew up on TikTok for their viral track The Ick.

From BBC

“I sat down and wrote down all the things I can’t stand about people. The things that really got me like, yech, ick,” she said, one hand raised in disgust.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's one of those words that kind of gives me the ick, I think it gives a lot of people the ick" he added.

From BBC