adjective
-
full of or exposed to sunlight
-
radiating good humour
-
of or resembling the sun
Other Word Forms
- sunnily adverb
- sunniness noun
- unsunny adjective
Etymology
Origin of sunny
Explanation
Sunny means shining with bright sunlight, like a beautiful sunny Saturday at the beach. It can also mean cheerful, like your sunny, upbeat best friend. When the sun is shining, it's a sunny day, and when you're smiling and friendly, you're sunny too. Sunny has been used in this figurative way since the 16th century, and in the 1830s, sunny side came to mean "optimistic outlook." However, if you order your eggs sunny side up, it just means you'll get two fried eggs with bright yellow, runny yolks.
Vocabulary lists containing sunny
Florida's B.E.S.T. Common Suffixes: -y
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
I know it was sunny and warm, but I can’t figure out the season in L.A. from that.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026
Folan’s sunny personality and unintimidating teaching style normalized yoga for those women—who, in turn, normalized it for their children.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
"To finally do it, on a glorious sunny day, with a lovely green pitch, is a great relief."
From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026
Although it’s small, the unit is sunny and bright, with a pitched roof and a big picture window overlooking the lush backyard and swimming pool.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
“According to you, they know whether it is sunny or shady; surely they might know their own price. But never mind. You said you had urgent need of something, Miss Lumley. What is it?”
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
