dainty

CEFRB2

/ˈdeɪnti/

adjective · noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Small, delicate, and attractively made.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Extra detail

    Excellent; valuable, fine.

Examples

  • Few boys are dainty about their food.

  • Her extremely short and rather shabby skirt revealed a pair of uncommonly dainty ankles.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
2
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Fastidious and fussy, especially when eating.

  2. Elegant; delicately small and pretty.

noun

Extra meaning

  1. A delicacy (choice or pleasing food).

More examples

In context

  • Her sweet, kind face features a dainty pig's snout.

  • As for thoſe People of the Eaſt, (Goa, Calecute, Malaca,) they vvere a Fine, and Dainty People; Frugall, and yet Elegant, though not Militar.

  • Those dainty limbs which nature lent / For gentle usage and soft delicacy.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

She wore a blank lace handkerchief pinned to her blouse.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

From Middle English deynte (as noun), from Old French deintié, from Latin dignitātem. Doublet of dignity.