steady and steamy differ by a single letter, buried far enough into the word to be easy to miss. steady means “not subject to change or variation especially in behavior”. steamy means “filled with steam or emitting moisture in the form of vapor or mist”. steady is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈstɛdi/
1.adj.not subject to change or variation especially in behavior
“a steady beat”
2.adj.not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall
“stocks are still firm”
3.adj.securely in position; not shaky
“held the ladder steady”
/ˈstimi/
1.adj.filled with steam or emitting moisture in the form of vapor or mist
“a steaming kettle”
2.adj.hot or warm and humid
“muggy weather”
3.adj.feeling great sexual desire
“feeling horny”
| steady | steamy | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈstɛdi/ | /ˈstimi/ |
| Said | STED-ee | STEE-mee |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 6 | 6 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, verb, noun, adverb | adjective |
| Senses | 10 | 3 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | none recorded | steaming |
Full entry for steady · Full entry for steamy · More comparisons