English

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Etymology

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According to the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, the figurative sense was popularized by the 1989 romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally....[1]

Adjective

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high-maintenance (comparative more high-maintenance, superlative most high-maintenance)

  1. (of a system) Requiring a high degree of maintenance to ensure proper functioning, and without which it is likely to break down.
  2. (figuratively, derogatory, of a person) Requiring a lot of attention or reassurance; emotionally needy
    He has this incredibly high-maintenance girlfriend; if he doesn't tell her that he loves her every five minutes, she tends to break down into hysterical depressive weepy fits.
    • 1989, Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally...[2] (motion picture), spoken by Harry Burns (Billy Crystal):
      There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.

Antonyms

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Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Michiko Kakutani (1997 November 18) “From 'Happy Camper' to 'Out of Sight'”, in The New York Times[1]