drafty
UK[ˈdrɑːfti]US[ˈdræfti]
adj
Describing a room or building that has cold air blowing through it.
Morpheme Breakdown
draft
y
draft
current of air
y
adjective-forming suffix
Etymology
The word 'drafty' is built upon the noun 'draft', which originally meant the act of drawing or pulling. This sense evolved from the physical action of pulling air, leading to its specific meaning of a current of air, particularly an unwelcome, cool one entering a space. The adjectival suffix '-y' is then appended, a productive suffix in English inherited from its Germanic roots, to create a descriptive term meaning "characterized by drafts". Thus, the modern abstract meaning directly follows the literal logic of the morphemes: a place full of or characterized by currents of air.
Analysis
Structure: draft (current of air) + y (adjective-forming suffix)
- draft: A word of Germanic origin (Middle English draught, Old English dreaht, dræht), meaning "act of drawing or pulling" and later "a current of air".
- y: A native English suffix (Old English -ig), used to form adjectives meaning "characterized by" or "full of".
Examples
The old cottage was charming but terribly drafty in the winter.
We had to seal the windows because the room became too drafty.
Sitting by the drafty door, she wrapped her shawl more tightly around her shoulders.