Grammar Punk Blog

milque·toast

mɪlkˌtoʊst/ Show–noun(sometimes initial capital letter )

a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, esp. one who is easily dominated or intimidated: a milquetoast who’s afraid to ask for a raise.

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Also called Caspar Milquetoast.

Origin:
1935–40, Americanism; after Caspar Milquetoast, a character in The Timid Soul, comic strip by H. T. Webster (1885–1952), American cartoonist

While milquetoast is not officially an uncommon word, yes, I have used it before in a sentence, I was not aware of its origin. I do so love a word that originates as a character in a comic strip. How cool is it that a writer penned a name for a metaphorical name for a character only to have the word outlive him and his comic strip, ad infinitum! The word itself tells you its definition; milk and toast? How much more bland can you get? Great insult, too, and you know how I love those.

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Grammar Punk Sentence:

M E 2

There he was, Clarence, that wimpy little milquetoast worm; how dare he have the nerve to show up at her engagement party without a gift?