dewy

adjective

ˈdü-ē How to pronounce dewy (audio)
 also  ˈdyü-
dewier; dewiest
1
: moist with, affected by, or suggestive of dew
dewy grass
A fresh, faintly dewy complexion radiates health and beauty.Essence
2
: innocent, unsophisticated
from a dewy bride to an ill-mannered, murderous courtesanMelvin Gussow
dewily
ˈdü-ə-lē How to pronounce dewy (audio)
ˈdyü-
adverb
dewiness
ˈdü-ē-nəs How to pronounce dewy (audio)
ˈdyü-
noun

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"And her faire deawy eies with kisses deare Shee ofte did bathe" (Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene). "I would these dewy teares were from the ground" (William Shakespeare, Richard III). "Till dewie sleep Oppress'd them" (John Milton, Paradise Lost). "Strengthen me, enlighten me … Thou dewy dawn of memory" (Alfred Tennyson, "Ode to Memory"). Such lines exemplify how the greats have poetically extended the characteristics of dewy grass to misty or crying eyes, as well as to things, like sleep, that affect people gently like forming dew, or to things, like memory, that gradually vanish like a morning's dew. In recent times, the adjective has often been used to describe the luminous complexions of models and starlets—an extension of the "suggestive of dew" meaning. It was not until the 20th century that people began to connect newly formed, undisturbed dew with freshness or purity and, in turn, with innocence and unsophistication.

Examples of dewy in a Sentence

another version of the story of the dewy small-town youths hoping to make it in the big city
Recent Examples on the Web The finish is slightly dewy and only gets dewier after a few spritzes of this setting spray. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 3 Oct. 2024 But there is also a quiet unease in this dewy new skin. Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 13 Sep. 2024 In comparison, Merit’s Flush Balm wins out thanks to its sheer, dewy formula and instant luminosity. Humeara Mohamed, refinery29.com, 7 Aug. 2024 Han frequently recommends this relatively affordable chemical sunscreen to friends who want a nourishing, dewy formula that feels weightless and wears well underneath makeup—a.k.a. Kathleen Suico, Allure, 13 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dewy 

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

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dewy was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Dewy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dewy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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