preppy

play

noun prep·py \ˈpre-pē\

variants: or

preppie

Definition of preppy

plural

preppies

1 : a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school
2 : a person deemed to dress or behave like a preppy

See preppy defined for English-language learners

Origin and Etymology of preppy

¹prep

NEW!

First Known Use: 1928

See Words from the same year

preppy

adjective prep·py

variants: or

preppie

Definition of preppy

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

play \ˈpre-pə-lē\ adverb

preppiness

play \ˈpre-pē-nəs\ noun

Recent Examples of preppy from the Web

Meanwhile, dad chose preppy separates, complete with a pastel sweater draped casually around his shoulders.

— maria ward, Vogue, "Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas Do Family Dinner Out in Style", 6 July 2017
THE KHAKIS A look made famous by '90s Gap ads, the white button-down and khaki combo is perhaps the ultimate preppy (slash business-casual) outfit.

— andrea cheng, Glamour, "The Fashion-Girl Way to Style Preppy Clothing", 22 June 2017
Ivanka Trump, preppy in sunglasses and all-white knit pleated dress, posed for selfies with lawmakers in the Republican dugout.

— ashley parker, Washington Post, "At Congressional Baseball Game, hopes for less acrimony among lawmakers", 15 June 2017
A move by J. Crew Group Inc. to tame its $2 billion debt load is already meeting resistance from a group of creditors that’s been battling the preppy clothing chain over control of its brand.

— jodi xu klein, Philly.com, "J. Crew term loan lenders said to drum up debt swap opposition", 14 June 2017
When Drexler started at the company, the plan was to raise prices and sell a more colorful and pricier array of products, returning the label to its preppy mid-'90s heyday.

— kim bhasin, Bloomberg.com, "J. Crew May Never Be the Same Again", 6 June 2017
In the mid-2000s, J. Crew introduced a generation of young adults to preppy fashion, the edgier alternative to stodgy labels such as Tommy Hilfiger and Lacoste that had dominated for decades.

— kim bhasin, Bloomberg.com, "J. Crew May Never Be the Same Again", 6 June 2017
His preppy aesthetic, sotto vocestyle and preference for backstage maneuvering seemingly sets him apart from his father-in-law — but the similarities outweigh the differences.

— sharon lafraniere, The Seattle Times, "Trump ties to Kushner facing their biggest test", 29 May 2017
The case begins with these basic facts: After attending a costume party at the historic Mark Twain House in Hartford, a crew of preppy high schoolers snuck out to a secluded area at Adriaen's Landing for late-night partying on Halloween 2014.

— Courant Community, "National Championships Explore Fictional Murder Set In Hartford", 13 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preppy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of preppy

1900

PREPPY Defined for English Language Learners

preppy

play

noun

Definition of preppy for English Language Learners

: someone who dresses or acts like a student at a prep school (such as by wearing neat, somewhat formal clothing or by using particular words and phrases)