dandy
Americannoun
plural
dandies-
a man who is excessively concerned about his clothes and appearance; a fop.
-
Informal. something or someone of exceptional or first-rate quality.
Your reply was a dandy.
adjective
-
characteristic of a dandy; foppish.
-
Informal. fine; excellent; first-rate.
a dandy vacation spot.
noun
-
a man greatly concerned with smartness of dress; beau
-
a yawl or ketch
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
- dandiacal adjective
- dandiacally adverb
- dandily adverb
- dandyish adjective
- dandyishly adverb
- dandyism noun
Etymology
Origin of dandy
First recorded in 1770–80; origin uncertain
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.
All seemed just dandy until both eagles left their nest unattended, and ravens swooped in.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026
But the typical Victorian dandy was a young, often middle-class man, enjoying his wages and leisure before settling down.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026
Khan arrived on the red carpet in an outfit created by Indian designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee - decked out with his own dandy cane, plenty of bling and sunglasses.
From BBC • Dec. 30, 2025
You may be a dandy dealmaker and a nifty negotiator, but you’ve got a bargaining habit that you should really curb.
From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025
“Go ahead, have a laugh at old Horace’s expense! Call me a dandy if you will, but just because the villagers won’t remember what you wear doesn’t give you license to dress like a vagabond!”
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
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.
