rummy
rummy Lexical Profile
rummy Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various card games in which players draw and discard cards with the aim of collecting sets of three or more cards of the same rank or sequences of the same suit.
"We spent the rainy afternoon playing several hands of rummy at the kitchen table."
North American A habitual drunkard or alcoholic, especially one who drinks cheap liquor.
"In the old noir novel, the disgraced reporter was dismissed by his former colleagues as a hopeless rummy."
• adjective
Containing, flavored with, or resembling the taste or aroma of rum.
"The rich holiday fruitcake had a warm, rummy aroma that filled the kitchen."
British Strange, odd, or somewhat suspicious in character or appearance.
"The detective thought the whole arrangement looked rather rummy from the very beginning."
• Rhymes for rummy
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The card game sense was recorded in the early 20th century, likely derived from the British slang adjective 'rum' (meaning 'odd' or 'peculiar'), while the slang senses relating to alcohol and drunkenness stem directly from the noun 'rum' plus the suffix '-y'.