dainty
1
6.7
- adjective
- /ˈdeɪnti/
- He was known for being dainty in his eating habits, often turning his nose up at anything messy.
- dainty eater
- too dainty
- so dainty
Examples
-
"You have to be quite dainty about it.
Academic text (1993) -
Why does he not even try to use it if you have a weak heart or dainty stomach?
-
Your dainty little fingerprints are all over that place.
-
Not with that blonde girl cousin over there, who had dainty bones and a beautiful face.
Fiction book (1990) -
" But you know," he continued, "she's a dainty woman, too, and loves beautiful things."
Fiction book (1990) -
I wouldn't have thought her a dainty woman.
Fiction book (2000) -
Mom and Uncle Mark were tall and quiet, whereas Nana was small and dainty and was always telling stories.
Fiction book (1997) -
"Well, you do seem eager," Grandma Bei said, taking another dainty sip of tea.
Fiction book (2002) -
"Because we're real men, and you can't make us fit into your dainty little patterns," he breathed.
Fiction book (2001) -
When the Queen of Sheba appears for the first time, she lifts with dainty fingers a jelly sandwich to her luscious mouth.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
25
6.7
Easily made to feel disgusted by seeing, smelling, or thinking about unpleasant things
14
7.9
Too fussy about being neat and proper
1
7.9
Being very picky about small details and cleanliness
1
9.5
Acting in a delicate, overly careful way
1
9.9
Too careful about manners in an obvious fake way
A person who acts very fussy about small things like dirt or food and gets upset easily
Antonyms
How Fussy
Surface Forms
Etymology
Dainty comes from an old French word deinté meaning 'delight', and over time it came to mean 'too delicate' for rough things. That's why a dainty person is someone who is fussy or easily bothered about food or mess.