Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1700-1800
Origin: Name given to the English poet Ambrose Philips (1674-1749) to make fun of him

namby-pamby

 adjective
     
nam‧by-pam‧by informal
too weak and gentle and not strict or tough enough:
For some people soccer has a reputation as a rather namby-pamby sport.
—namby-pamby noun [countable]
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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