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 Web
Christian Holub, EW.com, 29 July 2024
This Diamond Initial Necklace from Sarah O is dainty, beautiful, sparkly, and pairs super well with other pieces.
—Victoria Montalti, refinery29.com, 10 Jan. 2024
Being relatively big and covered in black-and-yellow fuzz allows the world’s roughly 250 bumblebee species to withstand more frigid temperatures than honeybees, which are generally daintier and less hairy, and are not native to North America.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
But even when presented with this, the most modest and daintiest wedge of rind-on watermelon, my mother will slice the flesh away with a knife and fork and cut it up before eating it.
—Seyward Darby, Longreads, 24 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dainty 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adjective
One is a dog, one is a daintier version of Reynolds himself, one is a Lady Deadpool, and another is emblazoned with the green colors and red dragon of the Welsh flag.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 29 July 2024
This Diamond Initial Necklace from Sarah O is dainty, beautiful, sparkly, and pairs super well with other pieces.
—Victoria Montalti, refinery29.com, 10 Jan. 2024
Being relatively big and covered in black-and-yellow fuzz allows the world’s roughly 250 bumblebee species to withstand more frigid temperatures than honeybees, which are generally daintier and less hairy, and are not native to North America.
—Alex Fox, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2024
But even when presented with this, the most modest and daintiest wedge of rind-on watermelon, my mother will slice the flesh away with a knife and fork and cut it up before eating it.
—Seyward Darby, Longreads, 24 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dainty
Dictionary Entries Near dainty
Cite this Entry
“Dainty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dainty. Accessed 22 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share