cheeky

American  

[chee-kee] / ˈtʃi ki /

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.

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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 British  

/ ˈtʃiːkɪ /

adjective

1. disrespectful in speech or behaviour; impudent

   a cheeky child

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Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• cheekily adverb
• cheekiness noun

Etymology

Origin of cheeky

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

Example Sentences

‘This Is a Story,’ filled with enlarged plates and tables, cheeky chapels and flowing beards, has a charismatic presence.

From Los Angeles Times

Gemma, who described her son as giggly and cheeky, said he has "brought us so much joy".

From BBC

Referring to a heated media interview earlier this week, TKV said: "He has a persona - he's a good guy in front of the cameras, but behind the scenes he makes cheeky comments."

From BBC

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

From BBC

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

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bold
• brash
• saucy