nuggetyadj.
/ˈnʌɡᵻti/, U.S. /ˈnəɡədi/, Australian English /ˈnʌɡəti/, /ˈnʌɡədi/, New Zealand English /ˈnʌɡədi/ Originally and chiefly Australian and New Zealand.
1. Having the form of nuggets; occurring as nuggets.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > minerals > types of mineral > native elements and alloys > [adjective] > forms of native gold
nuggety1852
shotty1860
1852 F. Lancelot Austral. as it Is II. 2 The gold is nuggetty, and often found in schist rocks.
1861 Otago Witness (Dunedin, N.Z.) 23 Mar. 10 Where the diggers are now working. the gold almost all nuggety.
1890 Nature 20 Mar. 465 The origin of nuggetty gold.
1911 J. E. Hodgson Dredging of Gold Placers iv. 43 It was nuggety gold and had rolled.
1935 Victoria: Gold & Minerals (Victoria, Dept. Mines) 26 Nuggety patches of gold were obtained from the quartz veins cutting the Indicators.
1981 A. Dennis Paparoas Guide 68 The gold soon gained a reputation for being coarse and nuggety.
2. Rich in nuggets. Occasionally figurative.Recorded earliest in place name.
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1853 Austral. Gold Digger's Monthly Mag. 192 Nuggetty Gully has turned out fine golden boulders.
1869 Overland Monthly Sept. 268/2 A noticeable feature in ‘nuggety ground,’ is the circumstance that the wash-dirt is very poor, as if Nature concentrated all her force in the formation of nuggets only.
1870 Pall Mall Gaz. 26 Aug. 4 A district which..has earned for itself the proud title of the ‘Nuggety Diggings’.
1931 W. Baragwanath et al. Guide for Prospectors in Vic. 33 Every nuggetty patch is followed by poor stone or by a blank, but a little fine gold is generally found in the ‘floor’ or cross vein between the richer portions.
1995 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 8 June 15/1 Ernest Mehew's footnotes are meticulous and nuggety.
3. Of a person: stocky, thickset, tough. Of an animal: small and sturdy; compact.Recorded earliest in nuggety-looking adj.
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the world > life > the body > bodily height > shortness > [adjective] > and broad
short shoulderedc1405
bunting1584
squaddy1593
chubby1611
truncheon1611
squat1630
squabbish1666
truss1674
squab1675
squad1675
stocky1676
punch1679
trunch1683
squat1688
stub1711
fodgel1724
thick-set1724
puddy1747
chunky1749
dumpy1750
squabby1754
knurly1758
clunch1776
trunchy1778
fubsy1780
punchy1780
humpty-dumpty1785
trunched1787
pudgy1788
fubby1790
runty1807
squattish1809
roly-poly1818
stumpy1822
hoddy-doddy1824
spuddya1825
hodmandod1825
stubby1831
podgy1832
fubsical1834
dumpty1847
fatling1847
stuggy1847
nuggety1856
cloddy1876
blocky1879
chumpy188.
cobby1883
squidgy1891
stockish1913
pyknic1925
humpisha1935
1856 W. W. Dobie Recoll. Visit Port-Phillip 40 I was nuggety-looking not enough of the digger, bushman, or old leg [sic] about me to command the respect of the public.
1874 C. De Boos Congewoi Corr. 141 He's just oner them short, square-built, nuggetty kinder fellers.
1887 Daily News 9 Apr. 5/4 The typical volunteer is gradually framing himself into a medium-sized, somewhat thickset, sturdy style of fellow, with a good chest measurement, firm on the pins, with the stamp on him of strength and hardihood—the sort of man..the Australians style ‘nuggetty’.
1927 ‘S. Rudd’ Romance of Rumnibede 39 The nuggetty grey shook his head violently.
1951 D. Stivens Jimmy Brockett 102 ‘You did, darling,’ one of the little social toms said. She was a nuggety little Sheila.
1953 O. E. Middleton in C. K. Stead N.Z. Short Stories (1966) 2nd Ser. 187 Belle was..more nuggety, but still powerful. She was short-haired..but had less white on the throat.
1988 Rugby World & Post Nov. 20/3 Carozza..is extremely fast for a nuggety player.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1852