Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Delicately small and pretty: "dainty" describes something that is small, delicate, and attractive in a refined way.
   • Delicious and delicate (especially of food): It can refer to food that is pleasing to the taste, often in a light and delicate manner.
   • Excessively fastidious or refined: "dainty" can describe a person who is overly particular, especially about food, cleanliness, or manners.

2. Noun:

   • A small, delicious piece of food: "dainty" can refer to a small, choice, and tasty item of food.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • She wore a dainty gold bracelet on her wrist. (It describes a delicate piece of jewelry.)
  • The host served dainty sandwiches and pastries at the tea party. (It describes delicate and tasty food.)
  • He was too dainty to eat with his hands. (It describes a person who is overly fastidious about manners.)

• Noun:

  • The table was covered with all sorts of dainties. (It refers to small, delicious foods.)

Advanced Usage

• "dainty eater": a person who eats very little or is very picky about food.

  • My daughter is such a dainty eater; she only likes plain pasta.

• "with dainty steps": moving with small, delicate, and careful steps.

  • The dancer moved across the stage with dainty steps.

Variants and Related Words

• Daintily (adverb): in a delicate, small, or pretty manner.

  • She picked up the porcelain cup daintily.

• Daintiness (noun): the quality of being dainty.

  • The daintiness of the lace was remarkable.

Synonyms

• Delicate: finely made; easily broken or damaged.
• Exquisite: extremely beautiful and delicate.
• Fastidious: very attentive to and concerned about accuracy and detail, or about cleanliness.
• Tasty: (for food) having a pleasant, distinct flavor.

Related Phrases

• "dainty as a flower": an idiom comparing someone or something to a delicate flower.
  • The little girl, dainty as a flower, sat quietly in the garden.

Notes on Meaning

The word "dainty" often carries a positive connotation of delicate beauty or tastefulness. However, when applied to a person's behavior, it can sometimes have a slightly negative connotation, suggesting they are overly fussy or affected in their refinement.

Adjective

1. excessively fastidious and easily disgusted
   • too nice about his food to take to camp cooking
   • so squeamish he would only touch the toilet handle with his elbow
2. especially pleasing to the taste;
   • a dainty dish to set before a kind
3. delicately beautiful
   • a dainty teacup
   • an exquisite cameo
4. affectedly dainty or refined

Noun

1. something considered choice to eat