What it means
Describes someone who's easily set off or weirdly sensitive about a particular topic. You can be having a normal little laugh, then one stray comment lands and suddenly the air goes stiff and everyone's got to tread lightly. It's often used as a warning when someone's ego's still got a bruise.
Usage examples
"Don’t mention the footy round Dave, he’s still touchy about that four-nil battering. I had a laugh and he went huffy, then legged it to the chippy."
"Steer clear of the diet chat round Mum, she's a bit touchy about it since the doctor's."
"He got proper touchy when I teased him about the parking, went quiet for the whole drive home."
"Don't start on his old job, he's still touchy about how that all ended and he'll go proper frosty."
"She gets touchy any time rent comes up, so maybe leave the money chat till after she's eaten."
Where it comes from
Touchy has been in English since the 1800s for someone who's quick to take offence or react badly. It grows out of touch in the sense of being easily affected by contact, so even a small remark can set them off. That meaning's long been common across British and wider English.
