perky

[ pur-kee ]

adjective

, perk·i·er, perk·i·est.

1. jaunty; cheerful; brisk; pert.

perky

/ ˈpɜːkɪ /

adjective

1. jaunty; lively
2. confident; spirited

Derived Forms

• ˈperkiness, noun
• ˈperkily, adverb

Other Words From

• perki·ly adverb
• perki·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of perky¹

First recorded in 1850–55; perk ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

The years in between saw McCurdy perform a high-wire act of people-pleasing and silent suffering, while projecting a perky demeanor for the world.

From Washington Post

Notably, my Tricolor Stromanthe, string of hearts, and succulents still looked perky—and have continued to since.

From Popular-Science

She comes off as perky and outgoing, basically the vibe of a favorite grade-school gym teacher.

From FiveThirtyEight

Still, the four-cylinder turbo engine is perky enough, and the standard all-wheel drive came in handy during a few unexpected downpours.

From Washington Blade

With everything from bitcoin to IPOs so perky, many have asked whether a financial bubble is underway.

From Quartz

She was a perky redhead of about 30 with lively blue eyes, a petite figure, and lots of nerve.

From The Daily Beast

And beware the perky morning anchors with their inane questions (Aretha Franklin).

From The Daily Beast

Swift hopes that playing the victim, the perky sponge of “hate,” sells.

From The Daily Beast

Sutton Foster abandoned her usual perky personna to play scared and scarred in Violet, and voters may reward her effort.

From The Daily Beast

In the uber-perfect, uber-perky Brady household, Alice was the one who rarely had things go her way.

From The Daily Beast

He was made easy on this point, and, with an increase in our larder, became quite perky.

From Project Gutenberg

Don't you get too perky, young feller, or I'll hang your shirt on the fence before the day's done.

From Project Gutenberg

A narrow ribbon of velvet is very pretty twisted over a wire and two perky loops and ends made.

From Project Gutenberg

Perhaps the most attractive of small foreign birds is the avadavat, a tiny, perky little soldier.

From Project Gutenberg

But he was down for lunch and conducting for a glee-party in the drawing-room afterwards, as perky and active as a professional.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• bouncy
• bright
• bubbly
• cheerful
• cheery
• jaunty
• lively
• sunny