dainty

being delicately small and pretty

TRANSLATION

- dainty: elegant, fein, zart, niedlich, delikat, geziert - dainty: anspruchsvoll, wählerisch, verwöhnt, etepetete, mäkelig - dainty: lecker, leckerhaft, appetitlich

STATISTICS

IN THE PRESS

The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls. The reason is that pink, being a more decided and stronger color, is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and DAINTY, is prettier for the girl.

Earnshaw's Infants' Department, June 1918

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DAINTY, ferocious and extravagant

It has already been billed as Renaissance squared — China's golden age meets Italy's era of glory. But this exhibition is far more ambitious than that.

The Economist

Did you
know?

dainty

(1) adjective

Delicately small and pretty- (of a person) delicate and graceful in build or movement. 'he is one of the daintiest players in the game’- (of food) pleasing to the taste and served in a small portion    
- (of attitude) picky, excessively genteel, fastidious, especially concerning food

(2) noun

- Something good to eat; especially a small cake or sweet; a delicacy

adapted from Oxford and Collins English Dictionaries

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ORIGIN & USAGE

The original meaning of dainty, back in the 1300s, was "choice morsel of food," and it's still used that way to talk about a delicacy or a treat. More often, dainty is used as an adjective to describe something that's delicate and lovely.

It's a compliment, unless it's used sarcastically to mean "someone who acts ridiculously prissy." An example would be to say, "Sorry I hurt you when I barely brushed against you. I didn't realize you were so dainty."

Vocabulary.com

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SYNONYMS

cute, elegant, ethereal, exquisite, graceful, lacy, neat, petite, tasteful, tasty, choice, darling, delicious, fair, frail, light, lovely, nice, overnice, pleasing, savoury, superior, sweet, tender, trim, airy, attractive, beautiful, bonny, charming, comely, delectable, delightful, diaphanous, fine, palatable, precious, pretty, rare, recherché, refined, select, soft, subtle, toothsome

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Pink for Boys?

Thanks to Björn for interesting historical information regarding pink for boys and blue for girls. Read more at:

https://tinyurl.com/k6h8kz6

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