spry

[ sprahy ]

/ spraɪ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR spry ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, spry·er, spry·est or spri·er, spri·est.

active; nimble; agile; energetic; brisk.

Nearby words

Origin of spry

First recorded in 1740–50; origin uncertain

Related formsspry·ly, adverbspry·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for spry

Last year, at the less than spry age of 34, he broke two bones in his back while leading his Everton team to an FA Cup win.
Team USA Lost, but Tim Howard Is a Winner|Emily Shire|July 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On YouTube, Letterman was no match for his spry, versatile competition.
Stephen Colbert and the Viral Video-Fueled Generation Hijack Late Night|Jason Lynch|April 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Listening on the other side of the court was Edith Windsor herself, a spry 83-year-old with bright eyes and a pixie-like smile.
Edie Windsor, the Widow Taking On DOMA|Steven Thrasher|March 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Once more, Zoppé: An Italian Family Circus—170 years old and spry as ever—is off and running.
Giovanni Zoppé’s Real-Life Family Circus|Malcolm Jones|October 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Renowned fitness guru Jack LaLanne died yesterday, still dashing and spry just four years shy of 100.
Jack LaLanne's 10 Health Habits|The Daily Beast|January 24, 2011|DAILY BEAST
She's small and spry, you know, and Wisk gets in her way sometimes.
Pippin; A Wandering Flame|Laura E. Richards
He heard Flambeau say to Fanshaw that no doubt this meant the pilot must keep both eyes open and be spry.
The Wisdom of Father Brown|G. K. Chesterton
These yer orphans 'll git their house back ag'in, and that's enough for them; they're young and spry, and k'n easy earn a livin'.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn|Mark Twain
The chevronel is very seldom met with singly, but a case of this will be found in the arms of Spry.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry|Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
It was just like my poorness to think I could ever marry any one so clever and spry as yourself.
The Making of a Prig|Evelyn Sharp

British Dictionary definitions for spry

spry

/ (spraɪ) /

adjective spryer, spryest, sprier or spriest

active and brisk; nimble

Derived Formsspryly, adverbspryness, noun

Word Origin for spry

C18: perhaps of Scandinavian origin; compare Swedish dialect spragg sprig

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

Word Origin and History for spry

spry

adj.

1746, dialectal, perhaps a shortening and alteration of sprightly, or from a Scandinavian source (cf. Old Norse sprækr, dialectal Swedish sprygg "brisk, active"), from Proto-Germanic *sprek-, from PIE *(s)preg- "to jerk, scatter" (see sparse).

spry

adjective, spry·er, spry·est or spri·er, spri·est.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of spry

Examples from the Web for spry

spry

adjective spryer, spryest, sprier or spriest

Word Origin for spry

spry