Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

standoffish

/stænˈdɔ.fɪʃ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.09 in modern English

Syllables: stand-off-ish
IPA: /stænˈdɔ.fɪʃ/

21

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.

Example Sentences

"He was stand-offish with the other agents. They on their side said he was the manager’s spy upon them."
"His initial impression was that he was a bit standoffish or not over effusive […]"
"They were always a haughty family, stand-offish in a way, as they've a right to be."

Etymology

Etymology tree English stand off Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -isch English -ish English standoffish From stand off + -ish.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /stænˈdɔ.fɪʃ/
British English: /stænˈdɒf.ɪʃ/

Inflected Forms

more standoffish (comparative) most standoffish (superlative) stand-offish (alternative)

Derived Forms

standoffishly standoffishness

Phrases

stand off

Frequently Paired Words

standoff stand off

Synonyms

cold distant aloof cool frosty hankty hard-to-get offish quiet remote standoffish strange

Questions

How do you pronounce standoffish?: The recorded pronunciation is /stænˈdɔ.fɪʃ/.
What does standoffish mean?: Aloof; reserved; unsociable and unfriendly.
Where does standoffish come from?: Etymology tree English stand off Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -isch English -ish English standoffish From stand off + -ish.

How to pronounce standoffish

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “standoffish”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/stænˈdɔ.fɪʃ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “standoffish”.
Repeat and practice — Say “standoffish” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.