plural dainties
1
a
: something delicious to the taste
a London dainty—a pyramid of jelly—
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf
b
: something choice or pleasing
2
obsolete
: fastidiousness
daintier; daintiest
1
a
: tasting good : tasty
dainty morsels
b
: attractively prepared and served
dainty sandwiches on silver trays
2
: marked by delicate or diminutive beauty, form, or grace
dainty teacups
took a dainty sip
4
a
: marked by fastidious discrimination or finicky taste
b
: showing avoidance of anything rough
gentry too dainty to risk blisters on their hands—G. W. Johnson
G. W. JohnsonSynonyms
Noun
Adjective
Examples of dainty in a Sentence
Noun
the widow plied her suitor with dainties and endless glasses of sherry
Adjective
Her hair was decorated with dainty pink flowers.
the girl's dainty little hands
The dancers' dainty steps were followed by a series of leaps.
She took a dainty sip of tea from her teacup.
They served dainty sandwiches on silver trays.
The food was served in dainty portions.
Recent Examples on the WebEssence, 19 Apr. 2024
The dainty 16-inch chain is 18-karat-gold-plated and comes with a two-inch extender.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dainty 
Noun
From dainty flowers to micro-French tips, Spring is the time to detail your manicure with intricate coquettish designs.
—Essence, 19 Apr. 2024
The dainty 16-inch chain is 18-karat-gold-plated and comes with a two-inch extender.
—Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 26 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dainty
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dainty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dainty
Cite this Entry
“Dainty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dainty. Accessed 4 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dainty
2 of 2 adjective
daintier; daintiest
1
2
: delicately pretty
a dainty flower
3
: having or showing delicate or finicky taste
a dainty eater
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