"Moist" is a word that is often disliked for its unpleasant connotations, but its phonetic transcription can shed some light on why it is spelled the way it is. The word is pronounced as /mɔɪst/, with the phoneme /ɔɪ/ representing the long "oy" sound. This sound is created by blending the vowel sounds in the words "jawn" and "boy." The "oi" combination is not a common one in English, and may be part of why "moist" stands out as an unusual and somewhat unsettling word.
Moist is an adjective that describes something that is slightly or moderately damp or humid. It refers to the presence of moisture or a small amount of liquid, usually in the form of water. When a substance or material is moist, it is neither completely dry nor wet, but rather in a state of being damp. This adjective is often used to describe things such as soil, air, food, and skin.
Moist can also refer to an environment or atmosphere that contains a relatively high level of humidity or dampness. It is commonly used to describe climates or conditions where there is a notable degree of moisture in the air, such as a moist climate or a moist environment.
Additionally, moist can describe the texture or consistency of certain substances or food items. It is often used to indicate that something is soft, slightly wet, and may retain moisture, resulting in a pleasant or tender texture. Moist is commonly used to describe baked goods, like cakes or bread, that are tender, soft, and retain some of their moisture.
Overall, moist describes a state that is between completely dry and wet, indicating a moderate level of humidity or dampness. It is a versatile adjective used to characterize substances, environments, and textures.
Damp, slightly wet.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Damp; wet in a small degree; juicy; containing water or other liquid.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "moist" comes from the Old French "moiste" (modern French: "moite"), which derived from the Latin "mucidus" meaning "moldy" or "musty". The Latin term itself is derived from "mucus", meaning "slime" or "mucus". Over time, "moist" acquired the meaning of "slightly damp" or "moderately wet" in English, which is the sense it has today.