namby-pamby
UK[ˌnæm.biˈpæm.bi]US[ˌnæm.biˈpæm.bi]
adj
Weakly sentimental, affectedly pretty or delicate in a way that is insipid or childish.
n
A person, especially a writer, whose work is considered to be namby-pamby.
Etymology
The word is a mocking, reduplicative nickname coined in the 18th century by the poets Henry Carey and Alexander Pope. It was derived from 'Ambrose', the first name of Ambrose Philips, a contemporary poet whose pastoral verses were perceived by his critics as being excessively simple and childishly sentimental. The playful alteration to 'Namby Pamby' created a sing-song, infantile sound that perfectly encapsulated the very quality of feebleness and affected sweetness it was meant to satirize. Thus, a personal jab evolved into a standard English term for any writing, behavior, or person deemed insipidly sentimental or weakly pretty.
Analysis
This is a reduplicative compound, a playful, rhyming formation based on a personal name. It is not productively built from classical morphemes.
Examples
The critic dismissed the poet's latest work as namby-pamby verse, lacking any real emotional depth.
He was tired of the namby-pamby decorations and wanted a more mature, sophisticated design for the room.
Don't be such a namby-pamby; you need to state your opinion firmly and clearly.