The word fulsome has undergone some real semantic changes over the years. It used to mean “excessive, overly full” negatively, but it’s come to have positive connotations for some, who think it means “copious” or “abundant.” It’s a word that requires careful use—if you use it all—because without proper context it can be confusing. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of ““Fulsome” Can Mean Abundant, Excessive, or Suspiciously Overdone”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hello, this is Harry Rosetto from Falls Church, Virginia.
Hi, Harry, how you doing?
Well, I’d like to talk about the changes in meaning.
When I was in school, and it was sort of an SAT word, the word fulsome seemed to have a negative connotation. Basically excessive or foul or too much.
But lately I’ve been seeing it both in print and on the media as having a positive connotation as being perfect. And that kind of switch, you know, seems odd to me.
Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Fulsome is a real mess of a word. It originally meant copious or abundant. The full in there is what that was about.
And then it sort of became a term that meant excessive, too much, almost like eating too much to the point of nausea or disgust. And so in the 17th and 18th centuries, for sure, it was a disparaging term. And Noah Webster used it that way.
But you’re right. It sort of underwent some amelioration in the last couple of decades. But it’s so confusing now. I’m with you.
Yeah, it seems that I think more often than not now, it means perfect or thorough or something to that effect. Well, it’s so confusing that way that a lot of authorities just recommend not using it at all, unless it’s in a context that’s unambiguous.
So if we talk about fulsome praise, half of the listeners will think of it as meaning a lot of great praise, and half the listeners will think of it as meaning so much praise that it’s obviously you’re insincere.
Exactly. Yeah, I remember reading years ago that Ronald Reagan said something about having gotten a very fulsome apology from someone. I mean, what does that mean? He made it sound like it was positive, but it doesn’t sound so much that way.
It reminds me of enormity in that way, in that you have these two not perfectly contradictory meanings, but not sufficiently synonymous that you just really should stop using the word, because it’s not quite skunked, but getting there.
Yeah. So, Harry, how do you use it? Or do you use it?
I’ve never used it, to be honest with you, because it’s not the kind of word that’s in my vocabulary. But, you know, it really shows how language is dynamic, and dynamic in sort of odd ways.
You’re exactly right. That’s a great example. Language is just a wonderful thing.
I agree. Couldn’t do without it.
No, we couldn’t. Well, thank you very much for answering my question.
Yeah, take care now. Harry, you’re one of us.
Oh, it’s one of my favorite shows.
Oh, yay. All right. Call us again sometime, bud.
Thanks, Harry. Take care.
All right. Bye-bye.
Email words@waywordradio.org.
