Meaning & use
dainty
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Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Small, delicate and neat in a pleasing way.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after a verb: a dainty cup; her steps were dainty.
She served tea in dainty porcelain cups.
The baby wore dainty little shoes.
The dancer took dainty steps across the stage.
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Very careful and fussy, especially about food.
Grammar: Often critical when describing eating: a dainty eater.
He is a dainty eater who leaves most of his food.
She was too dainty to touch the muddy boots.
nouncountableold-fashioned
A small, delicious piece of food, such as a sweet or sandwich.
Grammar: Often plural: dainties served at tea.
The table was covered with dainties for the guests.
Grandma baked dainties for the church sale.
Word forms
| comparative | daintier |
|---|---|
| superlative | daintiest |
| plural (noun) | dainties |
Common combinations
- dainty hands
- She had small, dainty hands.
- dainty teacup
- A dainty teacup sat on the saucer.
- dainty bite
- He took a dainty bite of the cake.
- dainty eater
- My cat is a dainty eater.
Synonyms and how they differ
- delicate
- Delicate can also mean fragile or easily damaged, while dainty stresses small, pretty charm.
- petite
- Petite describes a small and slim person, usually a woman.
- fussy
- Fussy is critical and applies to anyone hard to please, not just about delicate things.
- graceful
- Graceful describes smooth, elegant movement, not smallness.
Opposites
Word family
- daintily adverb
- in a delicate, careful way
- daintiness noun
- the quality of being dainty
Commonly confused: dainty or dandy?
dainty vs dandy
Dandy means excellent, or a man who dresses with great care; it is not about delicacy.
Practice
She picked up the glass with ___ fingers and sipped carefully.
Choose one answer.
Dainty fingers are small and delicate, matching careful sipping. The other options suggest the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “dainty”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.