jaunty
/ˈd͡ʒɔːn.ti/ adjective, noun, proper noun
Forms jauntier jauntiest jaunties
- adjective Airy; showy; finical.
- adjective (by extension) Characterized by an affected or fantastical manner.
- adjective Dapper or stylish. “He wore a jaunty outfit that was all the rage.”
- adjective Ostentatiously self-confident. “He walked down the street with a jaunty swaggering step, as if daring others less perfectly satisfied to intrude upon his good mood.”
- noun (nautical) A master-at-arms on board a Royal Navy ship.
- proper noun A traditional nickname for a Royal Navy master-at-arms
Synonyms
pert rakish jonty dapper dashing natty raffish spiffy snappy spruce chipper debonair debonaire
Etymology
Formerly spelt janty, from French gentil. See gentle, and compare genty. Doublet of genteel, gentile, and gentle.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Airy; showy; finical; hence, characterized by an affected or fantastical manner.
Etymology [Formerly spelt janty, fr. F. gentil. See Gentle, and cf. Genty.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “jaunty”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details