dandy
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dandy¹
- /ˈdæn.di/
Rhymes with -ændi
Where it comes from
Borrowed from Scots dandy (“a fop; one who is well-dressed”). Of uncertain origin.
Possibly from Dandy, a diminutive of Andrew, yet the Scots word is used also in reference to women. Alternatively, possibly a back-formation of Scots dandilly, dandillie (“one who is spoiled or pampered; a "pet"”). Compare English dandle and dander.
noun dandies
- A man very concerned about his physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self. The gallant young Indian dandy at home on furlough — immense dandies these — chained and moustached — driving in tearing cabs, the pillars of the theatres, living at West End Hotels, — […]
- Something excellent in its class.
- A yawl, or a small after-sail on a yawl.
- A dandy roller.
- A small glass of whisky. Somebody quite as notorious as Brummell, but whose follies have been far more mischievous; whose eloquence is great, but certainly not always refined; and to whose health many a dandy of whisky has been tossed off.
- A horse-drawn railway carriage used on some branch lines. Other notable instances of horse-drawn vehicles for passenger services were the dandies used on the two-mile branch to Inchture of the Perth-Dundee line of the Caledonian Railway […], and the 2½-mile branch of the North British Railway from Drumburgh to Port Carlisle. […] One of the Port Carlisle da
Similar: barbermonger, beau, blade, blood, buck, carpet knight, cockscomb, dandy, dike, dood, dude, dudelet, exquisite, fashionable, fast man, fine gentleman, fop, foretop, fribble, gallant, go, jack-a-dandy, Jemmy-Jessamy, jetter, macaroni, masher, metrosexual, mignon, petit maître, popinjay · Opposite: puritan, untidy person
adjective dandier · dandiest
-
Like a dandy, foppish.
Similar: beauish, buckish, coxcombical, dandiacal, dandified, dandy, dandyish, dandyistic, dudish, foppish, foppy, Jemmy-Jessamy
-
Very good; better than expected but not as good as could be.
That's all fine and dandy, but how much does it cost?
Similar: all very well, well and good
-
Excellent; first-rate.
What a dandy little laptop you have.
Similar: ace, admirable, amazing, awe-inspiring, awesome, badass, broyal, bang on, bang-up, studly, based, beatific
dandy²
- /ˈdæn.di/
Rhymes with -ændi
Where it comes from
From Hindi डंडी (ḍaṇḍī, “rod, pole”), from Sauraseni Prakrit 𑀟𑀁𑀟𑀺𑀕𑀸 (ḍaṃḍigā), from Sanskrit दण्डिका (daṇḍikā), from दण्ड (daṇḍa) + -इका (-ikā).
noun dandies · dandi · dandie · dandee
- A boatman, a rower. Our Dandees (or boatmen) boyled their rice.
- A Shaiva mendicant who carries a small rod. ...the Dandis, distinguished by carrying a small dand or wand...
- An open sedan chair formed by suspending a rudimentary frame or strong cloth from a pole or set of poles. 1870, Constance Frederica Gordon-Cumming, Good Words, p. 135:
Similar: barbermonger, beau, blade, blood, buck, carpet knight, cockscomb, dandy, dike, dood, dude, dudelet, exquisite, fashionable, fast man, fine gentleman, fop, foretop, fribble, gallant, go, jack-a-dandy, Jemmy-Jessamy, jetter, macaroni, masher, metrosexual, mignon, petit maître, popinjay · Opposite: puritan, untidy person
Dandy³
proper noun Dandys
- A surname.
- Clipping of Dandenong
- The Dandenong Ranges.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: fop, beau, nifty, corking, bang-up, slap-up, neat, fashion plate, keen, gallant, dude, great, bully, not bad, good, swell
noun
Similar: barbermonger, beau, blade, blood, buck, carpet knight, cockscomb, dandy, dike, dood, dude, dudelet, exquisite, fashionable, fast man, fine gentleman, fop, foretop, fribble, gallant, go, jack-a-dandy, Jemmy-Jessamy, jetter, macaroni, masher, metrosexual, mignon, petit maître, popinjay · Opposite: puritan, untidy person
noun
Similar: barbermonger, beau, blade, blood, buck, carpet knight, cockscomb, dandy, dike, dood, dude, dudelet, exquisite, fashionable, fast man, fine gentleman, fop, foretop, fribble, gallant, go, jack-a-dandy, Jemmy-Jessamy, jetter, macaroni, masher, metrosexual, mignon, petit maître, popinjay · Opposite: puritan, untidy person
Translations
Every language
noun man very concerned about his clothes and his appearance
| Español | dandy, dandi, gomoso, petimetre, pisaverde, lechuguino |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 멋쟁이 meotjaeng'i |
| 日本語 | 伊達男 dateotoko, 伊達者 datesha |
| 中文 | 纨绔子弟 wánkùzǐdì, 花花公子 huāhuā gōngzǐ |
| हिन्दी | छैल chail, छैला chailā, बाँका bā̃kā, रंगीला raṅgīlā |
| Português | janota, casquilho, peralta, peravilho |
| Français | dandy |
| Deutsch | Dandy, Pinkel |
| Italiano | damerino, bellimbusto, figurino, fighetto, fichetto |
| Русский | де́нди dɛ́ndi, франт frant, щёголь ščógolʹ, пижо́н pižón, хлыщ xlyšč, фат fat |
adj like a dandy
| Español | dandy |
|---|
adj very good; better than expected but not as good as could be
| Español | muy bien |
|---|---|
| Português | catita |
| Français | très bien |
| Deutsch | prima, schön, gut |
| Italiano | passabile |
adj first-rate
| Español | primera clase |
|---|
noun Translations
| हिन्दी | डंडी ḍaṇḍī |
|---|
Talk about this word "dandy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/dandy. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. dandy. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/dandy "dandy." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/dandy.Cite this
@misc{dandy_2026,
title = {dandy},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/dandy},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
