preppy

1 of 2

noun

prep·​py ˈpre-pē How to pronounce preppy (audio)
variants or preppie
plural preppies
1
: a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school
2
: a person deemed to dress or behave like a preppy

preppy

2 of 2

adjective

variants or preppie
1
: relating to, characteristic of, or being a preppy
2
: relating to or being a style of dress characterized especially by classic clothing and neat appearance
preppily adverb
preppiness noun

Examples of preppy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
When Love Story, the tale of a doomed romance between Ivy League students Oliver, a rich preppy, and Jenny, a spirited social zero, went from a slender paperback to an unexpected box-office smash despite a downbeat ending where Jenny dies of, well, something. Amy Nicholson, Town & Country, 1 Dec. 2020 Thom Browne, fashion’s most dedicated preppy, took subversion to the extreme in his most recent collection, with boys in repp ties, grosgrain jockstraps and ladies-who-lunch bouclé skirt suits—a look that one imagines wouldn’t fly at any country club, except maybe one on Fire Island. Kareem Rashed, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2022 Think about it: the record companies forced them to be clean cut and preppy and all those things. Gary Gerard Hamilton, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Feb. 2023 The 2022 Grace Wales Bonner Sambas have the brand's signature vintage-preppy spin with sleek tones, contrast stitching, and satin lining. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Dec. 2022 Channeling an on-trend preppy heritage look but with the comforting familiarity of traditional decorating styles, dark leather decor truly has it all. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Jan. 2023 The frock featured white dress shirt cuffs and a sharp, contrasting collar with a black tie that mimicked the preppy Nevermore Academy uniform, and the whole look was cinched together with a metal corset belt. Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 19 Dec. 2022 Trust fund baby of possible criminal family; dresses preppy . . . Daniel A. Gross, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2022 The actress curated a selection of her favorite picks in all categories from the brand and walked into the fete in a look that gave a nod to both preppy '90s fashion and motocross-meets-rocker style. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Dec. 2022
Adjective
This pair comes in 10 solid colors (including sage, powder pink, black, and red) and has about a 5-inch inseam, keeping it in the vein of the preppy, sporty trunks popular on Instagram right now. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 11 Mar. 2024 Men and women in brightly colored preppy dress milled around before the first activity of the day: croquet lessons. Emma Green, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 The standalone spring collection combines LV’s signature savoir-faire with Tyler’s preppy style and Pharrell’s brilliantly idiosyncratic tastes. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024 First up, Beyoncé channeled her preppy side in a matching tweed skirt and jacket set. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 2 Jan. 2024 Loewe’s blue-and-red striped polo shirt, first spotted on Rihanna and Hailey Bieber last spring, may have brought the sporty-chic look back into the zeitgeist, but thanks to a handful of labels as varied as Aimé Leon Dore, Wales Bonner, and Gucci, the preppy top has only continued to evolve. Kerry Pieri, Vogue, 9 Mar. 2024 The blue-and-white-striped version is preppy perfection, but the solid-color options are solid picks as well. Anna Vognsen, Glamour, 8 Mar. 2024 Wear it over a button-down shirt to achieve a classic yet preppy look, or rock it on its own or over a basic white tee layered with gold chain jewelry for a more casual finish. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024 Reflecting the hip-hop heavyweight’s own wardrobe, the line comprises collegiate knitwear, preppy blousons, dandy-esque shirts, and classic chinos. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'preppy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

prep entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1880, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of preppy was in 1880

Dictionary Entries Near preppy

Cite this Entry

“Preppy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/preppy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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