A variant of earlier tetchy (“cranky, easily annoyed, difficult to handle”), under influence from some senses of touch (“affect, disturb”) and simulating touch +‎ -y.

• IPA^(key): /ˈtʌt͡ʃi/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌtʃi

touchy (comparative touchier, superlative touchiest)

1. (of a situation) Extremely sensitive or volatile; easily disturbed to the point of becoming unstable; requiring caution or tactfulness.

   It is an extremely touchy situation, with everybody's patience wearing thin.

   • 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:

     Eminent Americans are to be invited to direct by will their interment there; and in the case of Americans not so eminent as to be invited, but who have nevertheless expressed a wish to join the others, a committee will decide. It seems a touchy business all along...

2. (of a person) Easily offended, oversensitive.

   He can be very touchy when you talk about his estranged son, so be as tactful as possible.

   • 1923, Ernest Bramah, The Eyes of Max Carrados:

     I can assure you, Mr Hosier, that other people are much more touchy about my blindness than I am.

   • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Bridge, Command Deck, SSV Normandy:

     Ashley: Look at the size of that ship!
     Kaidan: The Ascension. Flagship of the Citadel fleet.
     Joker: Well, size isn't everything.
     Ashley: Why so touchy, Joker?
     Joker: I'm just saying you need firepower, too.

3. (informal) Inclined to engage in physical touch.

   Synonyms: handsy, touchy-feely

   Antonym: untouchy

• (extremely sensitive): tetchy, delicate, touch and go, scabrous
• (easily irritated): tetchy, irritable, irascible, cranky

• touchiness

• touchy-feely

• couthy

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): /ˈtot͡ʃi/ [ˈt̪o.t͡ʃi]
• Rhymes: -otʃi
• Syllabification: tou‧chy

touchy (invariable) (US)

1. touchy, delicate

• “touchy”, in Diccionario de americanismos [Dictionary of Americanisms] (in Spanish), Association of Academies of the Spanish Language [Spanish: Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española], 2010