dainty
pronunciation
How to pronounce dainty in British English:
UK [ˈdeɪnti]
How to pronounce dainty in American English:
US [ˈdenti]
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- Noun:
- something considered choice to eat
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- Adjective:
- affectedly dainty or refined
- of delicate composition and artistry
- especially pleasing to the taste
- excessively fastidious and easily disgusted
Word Origin
- dainty
- dainty: [13] In origin, dainty is the same word as dignity. The direct descendant of Latin dignitās in Old French was daintie or deintie, but Old French later reborrowed the word as dignete. It was the latter that became English dignity, but daintie took a route via Anglo-Norman dainte to give English dainty. At first it meant ‘honour, esteem’, but before a century was up it had passed through ‘pleasure, joy’ to ‘something choice, luxury’. The first record of its adjectival use comes in the 14th century, when it meant ‘choice, excellent, delightful’; this soon developed to ‘delicately pretty’.=> dignity
- dainty (n.)
- c. 1300, "excellence, elegance; a luxury," from Old French deintie (12c.) "price, value," also "delicacy, pleasure," from Latin dignitatem (nominative dignitas) "greatness, rank, worthiness, worth, beauty," from dignus "worthy" (see dignity).
- dainty (adj.)
- c. 1300, deinte, "delightful, pleasing," from dainty (n.). Meaning evolved in Middle English to "choice, excellent" (late 14c.) to "delicately pretty." Related: Daintiness.
Antonym
Example
- 1. The crosser he is the more assiduously he must ply the bollockee with dainty refreshments and lavish politeness .
- 2. One thing , however , is clear : the dainty sponge of british tradition has been usurped .
- 3. Everything is so delicate about this valentino gown , from the shell pink color and sheer layers to the dainty green and white embroidery . The impact it delivers took us by surprise .
- 4. There are beaded bags , among them one with an image of the first giraffe to arrive in france ; bags so dainty that they have room for only a few coins ; and bags fitted out with such necessities as comb , lipstick , compact and in one instance , binoculars .