hunky

1 of 2

adjective

hunkier; hunkiest
: being a hunk : attractive and usually well-built
the film's hunky leading man

Hunky

2 of 2

noun

Hun·​ky ˈhəŋ-kē How to pronounce Hunky (audio)
variants or less commonly Hunkie
plural Hunkies
dated, usually disparaging + offensive
: a person of central or east European birth or descent

Examples of hunky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
In one scene, Hunter, the hunky androgynous love interest of titular character Fiona, takes off his shirt. James Factora, Them., 7 Nov. 2025 There seems to be a gifted author lurking beneath the sellout who’s writing about purple sand and hunky space pirates. Scott Tobias, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2025 The hunky leading man was happy to take on the moniker. Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 5 Nov. 2025 But what expanding microdrama companies are hoping to target is viewers’ in-between time, the passive scrolls that can be taken over by a choice ad placement or intriguing three-minute clip about a cheerleader and a hunky alpha werewolf. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hunky

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of Hungarian

First Known Use

Adjective

1890, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunky was in 1890

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Cite this Entry

“Hunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunky. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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