prettier; prettiest
Definition of pretty
(Entry 1 of 4)
2a
: pleasing by delicacy or grace
b
: having conventionally accepted elements of beauty
c
: appearing or sounding pleasant or nice but lacking strength, force, manliness, purpose, or intensity
pretty words that make no sense— Elizabeth B. Browning
4
: moderately large : considerable
a very pretty profit cost a pretty penny
5
: easy to enjoy : pleasant
—usually used in negative constructions reality is not so pretty— Caleb Solomon
pretty
adverbDefinition of pretty (Entry 2 of 4)
1a
: in some degree : moderately
pretty cold weather
2
: in a gracefully pleasing manner : prettily
pop vocalists who can sing pretty— Gerald Levitch
pretty
noun
plural pretties
Definition of pretty (Entry 3 of 4)
2
: a pretty person or thing
pretty
verb
prettied; prettying
Definition of pretty (Entry 4 of 4)
: to make pretty
—usually used with up curtains to pretty up the room
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for pretty
The first known use of pretty was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century