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LingakuLingaku[noun] + めく [noun] + めいた + [noun] [noun] + めいて
めく conjugates as a godan verb (めく → めいた / めいて / めき…)
Attaches to a limited set of nouns (e.g. 春、謎、皮肉、説教、冗談、よそよそし etc.)
The suffix めく attaches to certain nouns (and occasionally other words) to create a verb meaning "to show signs of ~", "to have the appearance of ~", or "to take on a ~ quality." It conveys that something gives off a certain impression or atmosphere without necessarily being that thing fully. The resulting verb conjugates as a godan (五段) verb (e.g. めく → めいた → めいて).
The past/attributive form めいた is especially common and functions as a modifier before nouns, meaning "~ish", "~like", or "having an air of ~."
めく attaches to a limited set of words. Some of the most frequently encountered combinations include:
めく is not freely productive – you cannot attach it to just any noun. It is used with a relatively fixed set of words, many of which have become established expressions.
The ～めいた + Noun pattern (attributive/modifier use) is the most commonly encountered form in modern Japanese, especially in written language and literary contexts.
The ～めいて (te-form) and ～めいている (stative) forms are also used:
めく can also express a seasonal or temporal shift, suggesting that the atmosphere is beginning to resemble a certain season or time:
This grammar point has a literary and somewhat formal tone. It is more common in writing, narration, and polished speech than in casual everyday conversation.