Definitions for pretty
ˈprɪt ipret·ty

Princeton's WordNet(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. prettyadjective

   pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing

   "pretty girl"; "pretty song"; "pretty room"

2. prettyadverb

   (used ironically) unexpectedly bad

   "a pretty mess"; "a pretty kettle of fish"

3. reasonably, moderately, pretty, jolly, somewhat, fairly, middling, passablyadverb

   to a moderately sufficient extent or degree

   "pretty big"; "pretty bad"; "jolly decent of him"; "the shoes are priced reasonably"; "he is fairly clever with computers"

Wiktionary(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. prettynoun

   Something that is pretty.

   "We'll stop at the knife store a look at the sharp pretties.

2. prettyverb

   To make pretty; to beautify

3. prettyadverb

   Somewhat, fairly, quite; sometimes also (by meiosis) very.

4. prettyadjective

   Cunning; clever, skilful.

5. prettyadjective

   Pleasant in sight or other senses; attractive, especially of women or children.

6. prettyadjective

   Of objects or things: nice-looking, appealing.

7. prettyadjective

   Fine-looking; only superficially attractive; initially appealing but having little substance.

8. prettyadjective

   Moderately large; considerable.

9. prettyadjective

   Excellent, commendable, pleasing; fitting or proper (of actions, thoughts etc.).

10. prettyadjective

    Awkward, unpleasant.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. PRETTYadjective

   Etymology: præt, finery, Sax. pretto, Italian; prat, prattigh, Dutch.

   1. Neat; elegant; pleasing without surprise or elevation.

   Of these the idle Greeks have many pretty tales. Walter Raleigh.

   They found themselves involved in a train of mistakes, by taking up some pretty hypothesis in philosophy. Isaac Watts.

   2. Beautiful without grandeur or dignity.

   The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant creature in the world, and is always of my mind. Spectator.

   3. It is used in a kind of diminutive contempt in poetry, and in conversation: as, a pretty fellow indeed!

   A pretty task; and so I told the fool,
   Who needs must undertake to please by rule. Dryden.

   He’ll make a pretty figure in a triumph,
   And serve to trip before the victor’s chariot. Addison.

   4. Not very small. This is a very vulgar use.

   A knight of Wales, with shipping and some pretty company, did go to discover those parts. George Abbot.

   Cut off the stalks of cucumbers, immediately after their bearing, close by the earth, and then cast a pretty quantity of earth upon the plant, and they will bear next year before the ordinary time. Francis Bacon, Nat. Hist.

   I would have a mount of some pretty height, leaving the wall of the enclosure breast high. Francis Bacon, Essays.

   Of this mixture we put a parcel into a crucible, and suffered it for a pretty while to continue red hot. Boyle.

   A weazle a pretty way off stood leering at him. Roger L'Estrange.

2. Prettyadverb

   In some degree. This word is used before adverbs or adjectives to intend their signification: it is less than very.

   The world begun to be pretty well stocked with people, and human industry drained those unhabitable places. Burnet.

   I shall not enquire how far this lofty method may advance the reputation of learning; but I am pretty sure ’tis no great addition to theirs who use it. Collier.

   A little voyage round the lake took up five days, though the wind was pretty fair for us all the while. Addison.

   I have a fondness for a project, and a pretty tolerable genius that way myself. Joseph Addison, Guardian, №. 107.

   These colours were faint and dilute, unless the light was trajected obliquely; for by that means they became pretty vivid. Isaac Newton, Opticks.

   This writer every where insinuates, and, in one place, pretty plainly professes himself a sincere christian. Francis Atterbury.

   The copper halfpence are coined by the publick, and every piece worth pretty near the value of the copper. Jonathan Swift.

   The first attempts of this kind were pretty modest. Thomas Baker.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pretty

   pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem

2. Pretty

   moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune

3. Pretty

   affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense

4. Pretty

   mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow

5. Pretty

   stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant

6. Prettyadverb

   in some degree; moderately; considerably; rather; almost; -- less emphatic than very; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pretty

   Pretty is a television advertisement launched in 2006 by Nike, Inc. to promote its Nike Women brand of sportswear. The 60-second spot was handled by advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy in Portland, Oregon. The advert stars Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova in her first appearance as a spokesperson for the brand. Pretty debuted on U.S. television on August 20, 2006, with later appearances in cinemas and in print advertisements. It was directed by Czech director Ivan Zacharias, with post-production and VFX work by The Mill. The piece was a critical and popular success. It garnered several prestigious awards from the advertising and television industries, including two Cannes Gold Lions and a Gold Effie Award.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pretty

   pret′i, adj. tasteful: pleasing to the eye: having attractive but not striking beauty: neat: beautiful without dignity: small: affected: moderately large, considerable: puny, weak (a term of endearment): (in contempt) fine: (obs.) shrewd, cunning: (obs.) strong, warlike.—adv. in some degree: moderately.—v.t. Prett′ify, to make pretty in an excessively ornamental way.—adv. Prett′ily, in a pretty manner: pleasingly: elegantly: neatly.—n. Prett′iness.—adj. Prett′yish, somewhat pretty.—n. Prett′ypretty (coll.), a knick-knack.—adj. Prett′y-spō′ken, speaking or spoken prettily.—Pretty much, very nearly. [A.S. prættig, tricky—prætt, trickery; prob. Low L. practicus—Gr. praktikos—prattein, to do.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pretty

   An aesthetic, between cute and beautiful. Attractive in a Delicate way.

   I don't care for pretty looking men.

   
   

   Submitted by anonymous on March 17, 2021  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'pretty' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #2435

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'pretty' in Written Corpus Frequency: #765

3. Adverbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'pretty' in Adverbs Frequency: #166

4. Adjectives Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'pretty' in Adjectives Frequency: #445

How to pronounce pretty?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say pretty in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of pretty in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of pretty in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of pretty in a Sentence

1. Ric Ronge:

   It's a pretty strong set of results, and they're giving the market what they're wanting. It should be really well received.

2. Josh Hazlewood:

   Everyone pulled up pretty well from Sydney, everyone’s feeling pretty good, and I think( Cameron) Green makes a huge difference.

3. Nancy Reagan:

   No, no. When you balance it all out, I've had a pretty fabulous life.

4. Ann Sonders:

   For six quarters in a row, we pretty much just had a bar that was set too low, i think that tide has now turned.

5. Aaron Jett:

   Demand has been pretty decent and continued to grow, and it should continue at a decent clip. But will it be enough to soak up enough supply in the U.S. market? Probably not.

Popularity rank by frequency of use