dinky

Pronunciation: /ˈdɪŋki/

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a small locomotive
  2. adjective small and insignificant
  3. adjective (British informal) pretty and neat

Etymology

1780-90; compare Scots dink (“neatly dressed, trim”) (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; + -y.

In classic literature

Synonyms

dinkey

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
locomotive

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading

Nice save! Solidify it with review →