dandy

1 of 2

noun

dan·​dy ˈdan-dē 

plural dandies

1

: a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance

2

: something excellent in its class

a dandy of a game

dandyish

ˈdan-dē-ish 

adjective

dandyishly adverb

dandy

2 of 2

adjective

dandier; dandiest

1

: of, relating to, or suggestive of a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance : foppish

2

: very good : first-rate

a dandy place to stay

I have a couple of friends … who think a recession is a dandy time to try to discover better and cheaper ways to do things.

—Thomas Friedman

Synonyms

Noun

• beau
• Beau Brummell
• buck
• dude
• fop
• gallant
• jay
• lounge lizard
• macaroni
• pretty boy

Adjective

• A-OK
• A1
• awesome
• bang-up
• banner
• beautiful
• blue-chip
• blue-ribbon
• boffo
• bonny [chiefly British]
• bonnie
• boss [slang]
• brag
• brave
• bully
• bumper
• capital
• choice
• classic
• cool [slang]
• corking
• crackerjack
• cracking
• divine
• dope [slang]
• down [slang]
• dynamite
• excellent
• fab
• fabulous
• famous
• fantabulous [slang]
• fantastic
• fine
• first-class
• first-rate
• first-string
• five-star
• four-star
• frontline
• gangbusters
• gangbuster
• gilt-edged
• gilt-edge
• gone [slang]
• grand
• great
• groovy
• heavenly
• high-class
• hot
• hype [slang]
• immense
• jim-dandy
• keen
• lovely
• marvelous
• marvellous
• mean
• neat
• nifty
• noble
• number one
• No. 1
• numero uno
• out-of-sight [slang]
• par excellence
• peachy
• peachy keen
• phat [slang]
• prime
• primo [slang]
• prize
• prizewinning
• quality
• radical [slang]
• righteous [slang]
• sensational
• slick
• splendid
• stellar
• sterling
• superb
• superior
• superlative
• supernal
• swell
• terrific
• tip-top
• top
• top-notch
• top-of-the-line
• top-shelf
• topflight
• topping [chiefly British]
• unsurpassed
• wizard [chiefly British]
• wonderful

Examples of dandy in a Sentence

Noun

That was a dandy of a game.

that dandy was willing to spend all day and hundreds of dollars just to get the perfect pair of shoes

Adjective

We thought something was wrong, but he said everything was just fine and dandy.

that's a dandy new racing bike

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

From the elegance of Harlem Renaissance suits to contemporary statements on red carpets and streets alike, the dandy is not just a fashion figure but a symbol of resistance and refined self-expression. —Jailynn Taylor, Essence, 8 May 2025

Dapper Dan, the evening’s ultimate dandy, flaunted a 1936 diamond-and-sapphire brooch, a 1943 pocket watch, and a pair of 1983 sunglasses. —Ian Malone, Vogue, 6 May 2025

Adjective

Top 5 Accessory Brands: Spectator Shoes and Haute Hats Walking sticks weren’t the only accessories that mattered at an event honoring dandy style. —Laurie Brookins, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025

This was one of our favorite translations of the evening’s dandy theme. —Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 6 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Adjective

probably short for jack-a-dandy, from jack entry 1 + a (of) + dandy (origin unknown)

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1780, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1792, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dandy

• fine and dandy
• handy dandy
• jim-dandy

Rhymes for dandy

• bandy
• brandy
• candy
• grandee
• randy
• shandy

Kids Definition

dandy

1 of 2 noun

dan·​dy ˈdan-dē 

plural dandies

1

: a man who is too interested in his clothing and personal appearance

2

: a very good example of something

dandyish

-dē-ish 

adjective

dandy

2 of 2 adjective

dandier; dandiest

: very good : splendid, excellent