dinky
English edit
Pronunciation edit
Etymology 1 edit
1780-90; compare Scots dink (“neatly dressed, trim”) (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; + -y.
Adjective edit
dinky (comparative dinkier, superlative dinkiest)
- (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and attractive.
- 1915, Lucy Maud Montgomery, “chapter 11”, in Anne of the Island:
- How do you like my hat? That one you had on in church yesterday was real dinky.
- 2010, Sharon Wallace, A House Full of Whispers[1], page 5:
- I played in the dirt with a small dinky car as the garage held no fascination for a little girl of five.
- 2012, David Walliams [pseudonym; David Edward Williams], Ratburger, London: HarperCollins Children’s Books, →ISBN:
- “Ooh, well, he is a particularly pretty one. Look at his dinky little nose,” said Raj with a sweet smile.
- (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable.
- They stayed in a dinky hotel room, but they had a great trip.
Synonyms edit
- See also Thesaurus:tiny
Derived terms edit
Related terms edit
Translations edit
(informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
(informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
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Etymology 2 edit
See DINK
Noun edit
dinky (plural dinkies)
- (slang) A person in a relationship with double income and no kids