Clubfisted

/ˈklʌbˌfɪstəd/ adjective

Definition

Having a deformed or clumsy hand; awkward or ungainly in one's movements or handling of things.

Etymology

From 'clubfist' (a deformed hand) plus the suffix '-ed' (meaning 'having' or 'characterized by'). Developed in the 16th-17th centuries as both a medical descriptor and an insult implying clumsiness.

Kelly Says

Medieval and Renaissance insults were wonderfully specific—calling someone 'clubfisted' meant they were not only clumsy but also implying they had the grace and dexterity of someone with an actual deformity, which was genuinely harsh.

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