cheeky

[chee-kee]

adjective

cheekier, cheekiest 

1. rude or disrespectful, especially in a playful or witty way; saucy; bold.

   With his trademark cheeky glint in his eye, he told me to get lost.

   A high dose of cheeky slapstick keeps the narrative rolling along.

   Synonyms: bold, audacious, saucy

2. Informal.,  taken or done for sheer self-indulgent pleasure, usually spontaneously and in defiance of convention or normal restraint.

   This dish makes a great small dessert bowl, perfect for a cheeky scoop of ice cream.

   While in London for work I went for a cheeky spa break.

3. Slang.,  (of shorts, underwear, etc.) incompletely or scantily covering the buttocks.

   My new swimsuit has a retro triangle white top and a teal cheeky bottom.

noun

1. Slang.,  Often cheekies a pair of underpants, shorts, etc., that incompletely or scantily cover the buttocks.

   Some feel comfier in a cheeky than in a thong.

   I spent Saturday morning lounging in my favorite T-shirt and a pair of cheekies.

cheeky

/ ˈtʃiːkɪ /

adjective

1. disrespectful in speech or behaviour; impudent

   a cheeky child

Other Word Forms

• cheekily adverb
• cheekiness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cheeky¹

First recorded in 1855–60; cheek + -y ¹

Example Sentences

"We love Doris. She's cheeky - I think everyone loves Doris," said Lisa.

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The cheeky charm remains intact, but now it’s going to be accessible to a global audience.

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“Don’t tell me you two are in cahoots! How cheeky. Does that mean we can go to bed now? I am quite exhausted; what a dull evening it has been.”

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They only let me out because—you won’t believe it—some cheeky rogue stole the velocipede!

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Now the family are hoping they can have their "cheeky and determined" Kobi at home with them for Christmas, away from the beeping machines and clinical smells of hospital.

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Related Words

• bold 
• brash 
• saucy 

When To Use

What does cheeky mean?

Cheeky means bold, brash, and a bit rude, but also maybe a little playful and amusing.Cheeky is an adjective that is typically used to describe a person or their actions or comments. It is most commonly used in the U.K., but it is frequently used elsewhere as well.Example: During her speech, she managed to sneak in a cheeky remark about her previous employer.