dainty

1 of 2

noun

dain·​ty ˈdān-tē How to pronounce dainty (audio)
plural dainties
1
a
: something delicious to the taste
a London dainty—a pyramid of jellyVirginia Woolf
b
: something choice or pleasing
2
obsolete : fastidiousness

dainty

2 of 2

adjective

daintier; daintiest
1
a
: tasting good : tasty
dainty morsels
b
: attractively prepared and served
dainty sandwiches on silver trays
2
: marked by delicate or diminutive beauty, form, or grace
dainty teacups
took a dainty sip
3
obsolete : chary, reluctant
… let us not be dainty of leave-taking …Shakespeare
4
a
: marked by fastidious discrimination or finicky taste
b
: showing avoidance of anything rough
gentry too dainty to risk blisters on their handsG. W. Johnson
daintily adverb
daintiness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for dainty

choice, exquisite, elegant, rare, delicate, dainty mean having qualities that appeal to a cultivated taste.

choice stresses preeminence in quality or kind.

choice fabric

exquisite implies a perfection in workmanship or design that appeals only to very sensitive taste.

an exquisite gold bracelet

elegant applies to what is rich and luxurious but restrained by good taste.

a sumptuous but elegant dining room

rare suggests an uncommon excellence.

rare beauty

delicate implies exquisiteness, subtlety, and fragility.

delicate craftsmanship

dainty sometimes carries an additional suggestion of smallness and of appeal to the eye or palate.

dainty sandwiches

Examples of dainty in a Sentence

Noun the widow plied her suitor with dainties and endless glasses of sherry Adjective Her hair was decorated with dainty pink flowers. the girl's dainty little hands The dancers' dainty steps were followed by a series of leaps. She took a dainty sip of tea from her teacup. They served dainty sandwiches on silver trays. The food was served in dainty portions. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
These dainty birds have a long road (ahem, flight path) ahead of them when the temperatures begin to drop and winter approaches. Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2023 Bieber’s dainty ankle jewelry can be spotted in many of her recent photos. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2023 Gerber paired a simple white tank top with loose navy pants splattered with white paint, and accessorized the outfit with bright white sneakers, a white cotton tote bag, chunky gold hoops, a dainty necklace, and oversize sunglasses. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 29 Aug. 2023 The tiny hair accessory only added to this dainty hairstyle. Gabi Thorne, Allure, 28 Aug. 2023 Their dainty bodies aren’t much longer than a typical ruler, from bill to tail, but their wingspans are over double that, and plenty strong to propel them, in spring, from their winter homes in Southeast Asia to Alaska and Siberia. WIRED, 26 Aug. 2023 Many are wary of cocktails that come in dainty glasses, are garnished with flowers or fruit, or feature a straw for stripping. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2023 Despite having a dainty reputation, fine bone china is actually one of the most durable dinnerware materials. Kelsey Mulvey, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Aug. 2023 Try Dainty Additions For a charming, inviting atmosphere, consider adding dainty pendant lights above your kitchen sink and counter. Sienna Livermore, House Beautiful, 22 Aug. 2023
Adjective
Prada’s lace version is delightfully dainty, especially when styled alongside metallic evening sandals from Zara and Loewe’s sequined tote. Laura Jackson, Vogue, 16 June 2023 The late America Eats Tavern is recalled with dishes including the country’s daintiest chicken wings. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 17 May 2023 But for me, it’s been very classy, very dainty, and polite. Breanna Bell, Variety, 10 Apr. 2023 These shoes are often dainty, delicate and decidedly inappropriate for a rugged day in the urban wilderness. Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2023 The Bazaar also serves the country’s daintiest chicken wings, which are confited, deboned, pressed, fried and treated to a doll-size cube of blue cheese and a housemade hot sauce enriched with chicken jus. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023 But weighing in at just over 25 pounds, it’s not particularly dainty. Micki Wagner, Popular Mechanics, 9 Feb. 2023 Rentrayage's sale section has several one-of-a-kind home goods right now, including a glass pitcher to match this dainty little set. Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Feb. 2023 The tool needed to take a size 16 dry fly out of the dainty mouth of a mountain trout differs from that utilized for billfish, with multiple gradations in between. Pete Robbins, Field & Stream, 30 Jan. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dainty.' 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

Middle English deinte, dainte "state of honor, high esteem, delight, luxury, marvel, delicacy, choice morsel," borrowed from Anglo-French deinté, dainté "esteem, fine object or deed, choice morsel" (continental Old French deintié), going back to Latin dignitāt-, dignitās "suitability, excellence, standing, esteem" — more at dignity

Adjective

Middle English deinte "excellent, delightful, (of food or drink) fine, delicious," adjective derivative of deinte, dainte "high esteem, delight, luxury, delicacy, choice morsel" — more at dainty entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dainty was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dainty

Cite this Entry

“Dainty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dainty. Accessed 22 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

dainty

1 of 2 noun
dain·​ty ˈdānt-ē How to pronounce dainty (audio)
plural dainties
: something delicious to the taste : delicacy

dainty

2 of 2 adjective
daintier; daintiest
1
2
: delicately pretty
a dainty flower
3
: having or showing delicate or finicky taste
a dainty eater
daintily adverb
daintiness noun

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