/ˈdɪŋki/
Origin1780-90; compare Scots dink (“neatly dressed, trim”) (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; + -y.
- British, informalTiny and cute; small and attractive.
“How do you like my hat? That one you had on in church yesterday was real dinky.”
“Rather should it be said that these ladies wore dress of military style, since there was nothing uniform about their outfits, one being in powder-blue with silver buttons and a forage-cap, the other i”
“I played in the dirt with a small dinky car as the garage held no fascination for a little girl of five.”
- US, informalTiny and insignificant; small and undesirable.
“They stayed in a dinky hotel room, but they had a great trip.”
- A dinky thing.
- AppalachiaA small mine car; especially, a small coal car.
- slangA person in a relationship with double income and no kids
Formsdinkier(comparative) · dinkiest(superlative) · dinkies(plural)