preppy

American  

[prep-ee] / ˈprɛp i /

Or preppie

noun

preppies plural

1. a person who is a student at or a graduate of a preparatory school.

2. a person who favors or is viewed as favoring clothing style or behavior associated with traditional preparatory schools.

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adjective

preppier, comparative preppiest superlative

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of preparatory schools or their students.

2. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or being a style in dress or mode of behavior of a preppy.

preppy British  

/ ˈprɛpɪ /

adjective

1. characteristic of or denoting a fashion style of neat, understated, and often expensive clothes; young but classic: suggesting that the wearer is well off, upper class, and conservative

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noun

1. a person exhibiting such style

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• preppies
  plural

Adjective Inflected Forms

• preppier
  comparative
• preppiest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of preppy

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900; prep + -y ¹, -y ²

Explanation

Someone who's preppy either attended an expensive, private high school and an Ivy League college — or just dresses that way. The informal preppy comes from "college preparatory school," its shortened form, "prep school," and the resulting noun prep, used to describe graduates of these elite high schools. You can substitute preppy as a noun, too: "The campus is full of preppies — maybe I'll go to art school instead." Preppy style includes dressing in polo shirts, khaki pants, and boat shoes, or looking like you just finished playing tennis or riding a horse.

Example Sentences

“I viewed the brand for preppy styles geared to an older generation,” said Lavinia Gabriele, a 26-year-old New Yorker, who works in retail.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

For those who are interested, the collection looks like a preppy, a jock and a member of the “Duck Dynasty” cast got together and brainstormed.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2025

The top look this year, ironically, is “Old Money,” a fashion trend that emphasizes expensive, quality pieces and classic styles — not so much head-to-toe logos, but more tailored blazers, preppy vibes and subdued hues.

From Salon • Dec. 27, 2024

The crowd in the dining room was a mix of older and younger, but most people were dressed on the preppy side in gingham and Ralph Lauren.

From Slate • Nov. 2, 2024

Kelton gets down on one knee to help him, but the preppy kid scrambles back and points with his working arm.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• Waspy