tickly
tickly Lexical Profile
tickly Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Causing or characterized by a light, itching, or tingling sensation, such as that of a cough or rough fabric.
"She sipped warm honey and lemon water to soothe her tickly throat before giving the presentation."
British Sensitive to being tickled; ticklish.
"The toddler was so tickly that even a gentle tap on his ribs made him giggle uncontrollably."
Scottish Requiring careful, delicate, or tactful handling; tricky or precarious.
"Negotiating the land boundary between the two estates proved to be a rather tickly business."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'ticklish' usually describes a person who is sensitive to being tickled, 'tickly' more commonly describes an object or condition that causes a tickling sensation (such as a tickly sweater or a tickly cough), though in British and Scottish English 'tickly' is also used for delicate or tricky situations.