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fulsome

Archaic Terms
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Excessively flattering or abundant to the point of being offensive or disgusting; originally meant generous or copious, but evolved to suggest insincere excess.

Detailed Definition
Originally positive, “fulsome” shifted to mean cloying or insincere (e.g., “fulsome praise”). In archaic poetry, context determines sense—either lavish or nauseating. Poets use it to critique flattery or excess, where abundance becomes oppressive. The ambiguity allows irony, especially in courtly scenes where generosity masks manipulation or decay.
Example
Example in poetry:
"His fulsome praise made her blush," in a courtly scene; In satirical verse: "Fulsome flattery drips from his tongue"; "Reject fulsome words, seek honest speech"; Shakespeare uses "fulsome" to mean excessive or insincere; "The fulsome banquet sickened the poor"; Fulsome lies cannot mask truth.
Additional Notes
“Fulsome” originally meant abundant (positive), but shifted to “excessively flattering” or “disgusting”; in poetic irony, this duality allows critique of false praise—e.g., “fulsome lies” that cloy rather than nourish.
Also Known As
excessive disgusting cloying
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