high-maintenance

English

Etymology

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

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

(of a system) Requiring a high degree of maintenance to ensure proper functioning, and without which it is likely to break down.
(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...‎ (motion picture), spoken by Harry Burns (Billy Crystal):
  There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.

Antonyms

low-maintenance

Translations

requiring a high degree of maintenance to ensure proper functioning, and without which it is likely to break down

Hungarian: sok törődést igénylő

(of a person) requiring a lot of attention or reassurance; emotionally needy

Hungarian: sok odafigyelést/törődést igénylő

References

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

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