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ducky

ducky

6 8.1
Cute and cheerful in a way that makes people smile
  • adjective
  • /ˈdʌki/
  • Archaic
translation icon : encantador
  • Want to kiss me, ducky?
  • just ducky

Examples

  • Isn't he a ducky little angel?

  • She wore a ducky dress that made everyone smile at the party.

  • And I think it's just too ducky for words.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • "Everything's just ducky," said Rick.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • It's just ducky!

  • Oh, just ducky.

  • That would be ducky.

    Blog text (11)
  • I'm with you, ducky.

    Blog text (1)
  • The children all agreed that the puppy was just too ducky to resist.

  • His ducky personality always brightens up the room.

Synonyms

cute
vsducky
1.0

Attractive in a small, pretty, or charming way

is more about warm cheerfulness than smallness or youth
charming
vsducky
418 1.0

Pleasant and attractive in a way that people like

is more cheerfully endearing rather than just pleasantness
adorable
vsducky
280 1.0

Very cute in a way that makes people love it

is milder, simply pleasant and endearing rather than intense affection
jolly
vsducky
79 1.0

Happy and lively in a friendly way

is milder and more gently endearing than very high spirited joy
winsome
vsducky
5 7.8

Pleasant and charming in a simple, innocent way

is more broadly pleasant and cheerful than only childlike innocence
good-humored
vsducky
  • US
4 3.2

Cheerful and friendly to other people

leans more toward being sweetly endearing than only a pleasant temper
chirpy
vsducky
  • Informal
2 3.1

Feeling happy and full of energy

is more softly endearing and pleasant than merely energetic cheerfulness
chappy
vsducky
  • UK
1 8.1

Happy and full of energy

focuses on pleasant, endearing charm rather than simple liveliness
corky
vsducky
7.0

Lively and slightly odd in a way that makes people smile

is more gently charming and endearing rather than odd playfulness
pixieish
vsducky
8.2

Being playful and slightly naughty like a small friendly fairy

is sweeter and more warmly endearing rather than mischievous play

Antonyms

866 1.0

Not pleasant to look at

215 1.0

Not nice and causing discomfort or unhappiness

How Charming

adorable
280 1.0
cute
1.0
ducky
  • Archaic
6 8.1
nice
1.0
plain
50 2.5

Surface Forms

ducky positive

Morphology

ducky = duck (opaque) = duck + y

Even though the form contains 'duck' and -y, the adjective meaning 'cute, charming, or cheerful' is a lexicalized evaluative sense rather than a meaning that follows directly from the base word.

Etymology

Ducky as an adjective meaning 'cute' or 'pleasant' comes from the same idea of a small, charming duck with the friendly ending -y. So if something is called ducky, it feels cheerful, nice, or endearing.