Standard Lemma guide

dinky

adj · noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈdɪŋki/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪŋki
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH1 NG K IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Tiny and cute; small and attractive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, informal

Examples

  • They stayed in a dinky hotel room, but they had a great trip.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A dinky thing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A dinky thing.

A small mine car; especially, a small coal car.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Appalachia

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A person in a relationship with a double income and no kids.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

(British informal) pretty and neat

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • what a dinky little hat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

small and insignificant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • we stayed in a dinky old hotel

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a small locomotive

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dinkey

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: locomotive, engine, locomotive engine, railway locomotive

History

Etymology

1780-90; compare Scots dink (“neatly dressed, trim”) (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; + -y.

See DINK.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: изящен (izjašten) — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • Czech: hezoučký — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • Czech: miloučký — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • French: mignon — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • French: croquignolet — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • German: schnuckelig — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • German: niedlich — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • Polish: malutki — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • Russian: изящный (izjaščnyj) — (informal, British) Tiny and cute; small and charmful
  • Bulgarian: дребен (dreben) — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Bulgarian: незначителен (neznačitelen) — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Czech: mrňavý — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Czech: maličký — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Czech: nicotný — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • French: croquignolet — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • German: klein und schäbig — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • German: klein und mies — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Polish: lichy — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Russian: невзрачный (nevzračnyj) — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable
  • Spanish: minúsculo — (informal, US) Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable