dinky

[ ding-kee ]
/ ˈdɪŋ ki /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR dinky ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, dink·i·er, dink·i·est.

Informal. small, unimportant, unimpressive, or shabby: We stayed in a dinky old hotel.
British Informal. fashionable; well dressed; smart.

noun, plural dink·ies.

dinkey.

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Origin of dinky

1780–90; compare Scots dink neatly dressed, trim (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; see -y1

Words nearby dinky

dink, dinka, dinkey, dinkie, dinkum, dinky, dinky-di, dinna, dinner, dinner clothes, dinner dance

Definition for dinky (2 of 2)

dinkey

or dink·y

[ ding-kee ]
/ ˈdɪŋ ki /

noun, plural dink·eys.

a small locomotive, especially with a switch engine.

Origin of dinkey

1840–50; noun use of dinky; see -ey2
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to dinky

trim, petite, miniature, dainty, Lilliputian, minor, secondary, mini, bush-league, insignificant, lesser, neat, small-time, minor-league

Example sentences from the Web for dinky

British Dictionary definitions for dinky

dinky
/ (ˈdɪŋkɪ) /

adjective dinkier or dinkiest informal

British small and neat; dainty
US inconsequential; insignificant

Word Origin for dinky

C18 (in the sense: dainty): from dink
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012