adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ˈʃiːpɪʃ/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:SH IY1 P IH0 SH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having the characteristics of a sheep, as meekness, shyness, or docility.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Shy, meek, ashamed or embarrassed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a sheepish girl
a sheepish grin
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
showing a sense of shame
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shamefaced
Antonyms: none provided
4
adjective satellite
Meaning 4
like or suggestive of a sheep in docility or stupidity or meekness or timidity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sheeplike
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English schepische, shepisse, shepisshe; equivalent to sheep + -ish.
Across languages
Translations
35 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
овчи
(ovči)
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Danish:
fåret
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Dutch:
schaapachtig
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Finnish:
lammasmainen
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Italian:
pecorino
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Italian:
pecoresco
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Italian:
pecorile
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Polish:
owczy
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Russian:
ове́чий
(ovéčij)
— having the characteristics of a sheep
Bulgarian:
стеснителен
(stesnitelen)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Bulgarian:
смутен
(smuten)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Danish:
fåret
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Danish:
flov
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Dutch:
schaapachtig
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
French:
penaud
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Greek:
ντροπαλός
(ntropalós)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Hiligaynon:
torpe
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Khmer:
អៀន
(iǝn)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Māori:
whakakumu
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Norman:
peîneux
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Polish:
zawstydzony
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Polish:
zakłopotany
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Polish:
zmieszany
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Romanian:
bleg
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Romanian:
sfială
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Romanian:
sfios
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Romanian:
sfioasă
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Romanian:
jenă
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Russian:
ро́бкий
(róbkij)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Russian:
засте́нчивый
(zasténčivyj)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Scots:
blate
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Scottish Gaelic:
nàireach
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Swedish:
fåraktig
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Ottoman Turkish:
اوتانغاچ
(utangaç)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
Ottoman Turkish:
محجوب
(mahcub)
— shy, meek, shameful or embarrassed
