moist

Meanings

Adjective

• Characterized by the presence of moisture; not dry; slightly wet; damp.
• Of eyes: wet with tears; tearful; also , watery due to some illness or to old age.
• Of a climate, the weather, etc.: damp, humid, rainy.
• Of the vagina: sexually lubricated due to sexual arousal; of a woman: sexually aroused, turned on.
• Pertaining to one of the four essential qualities formerly believed to be present in all things, characterized by wetness; also, having a significant amount of this quality.

Noun

• Moistness; also, moisture.

Origin

• The adjective is derived from Middle English moist, moiste, from Anglo-Norman moist, moiste, moste, Middle French moiste, and Old French moiste, muste (modern French moite); further etymology uncertain, perhaps a blend of a Late Latin variant of Latin mūcidus + a Late Latin derivative of Latin mustum.
• The noun is derived from the adjective.
• From Middle English moisten, moist, moiste, and then either:
• ; or
• from Middle English moist, moiste (see etymology 1), though the adjective is first attested later.