so-so
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Not particularly reputable. "A very SO-SO sort of a person," a person whom it is no advantage to know. "It was very SO-SO" (said of a piece of work or an entertainment), it was neither good nor bad.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “so-so” mean?
Not particularly reputable. "A very SO-SO sort of a person," a person whom it is no advantage to know. "It was very SO-SO" (said of a piece of work or an entertainment), it was neither good nor bad.
Is “so-so” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.