saggy
UK[ˈsæɡ.i]US[ˈsæɡ.i]
adj
Hanging down or losing firmness, often in an unattractive way.
Morpheme Breakdown
sag
y
sag
to droop
y
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'saggy' is built upon the verb 'sag', which entered Middle English with the sense of sinking or yielding under pressure, likely borrowed from Old Norse. The core concept is one of downward movement or loss of tension. The adjectival suffix '-y', of Germanic origin, is then appended to create a descriptive term. Thus, the literal construction 'characterized by sagging' directly and logically yields the modern meaning describing something that hangs loosely or has lost its firm shape.
Analysis
Structure: sag (to droop) + y (adjective suffix)
- sag: Likely of Scandinavian origin (e.g., Old Norse sökkva 'to sink'), functioning as the core verb root.
- y: A native English suffix from Old English -ig, used to form adjectives meaning 'characterized by; full of'.
Examples
The old mattress was lumpy and saggy in the middle.
After losing weight, his skin became loose and saggy.
She replaced the saggy elastic in the waistband of her pants.