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Dainty vs Lovely - What's the difference?

dainty | lovely | Synonyms |

Dainty is a synonym of lovely.


In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between dainty and lovely

is that dainty is (obsolete) excellent; valuable, fine while lovely is (obsolete) loving, filled with love.

As nouns the difference between dainty and lovely

is that dainty is (obsolete) esteem, honour while lovely is an attractive, lovely person, especially a (professional) beauty.

As adjectives the difference between dainty and lovely

is that dainty is (obsolete) excellent; valuable, fine while lovely is beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner or lovely can be worthy to be praised.

dainty

English

Noun

(dainties)
  • (obsolete) Esteem, honour.
  • A delicacy.
  • * 1719 , (Daniel Defoe), (Robinson Crusoe)
    • my case was deplorable enough, yet I had great cause for thankfulness that I was not driven to any extremities for food, but had rather plenty, even to dainties .
  • * (William Cowper)
    • [A table] furnished plenteously with bread, / And dainties , remnants of the last regale.
  • (Canada, Prairies and northwestern Ontario) A fancy cookie, pastry, or square served at a social event (usually plural).
  • (obsolete)
    • (Ben Jonson)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (obsolete) Excellent; valuable, fine.
  • *, II.13:
    • Heliogabalus the most dissolute man of the world, amidst his most riotous sensualities, intended, whensoever occasion should force him to it, to have a daintie death.
  • Elegant; delicately small and pretty.
  • * Milton
    • Those dainty limbs which nature lent / For gentle usage and soft delicacy.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=However, with the dainty volume my quondam friend sprang into fame. At the same time he cast off the chrysalis of a commonplace existence.}}
  • Fastidious and fussy, especially when eating.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • They were a fine and dainty people.
  • * Shakespeare
    • And let us not be dainty of leave taking, / But shift away.

    Synonyms

    * neat * petite

    References

    *

    lovely

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) lovely, luvelich, lufli, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Beautiful; charming; very pleasing in form, looks, tone, or manner.
    • It's a lovely day and the sun is shining.
    The music box plays a lovely melody.
    The castle garden enchants visitors with its lovely blooms.
  • * Robert of Brunne
    • Not one so fair of face, of speech so lovely .
  • Very nice, wonderful.
    • It would be lovely to have a little more money to spend.
  • (obsolete) Inspiring love or friendship; amiable.
  • * Shakespeare
    • a most lovely gentlemanlike man
  • (obsolete) Loving, filled with love.
  • * Chaucer
    • Many a lovely look on them he cast.
  • * Shakespeare
    • a lovely kiss
    Synonyms
    * lovable * lovesome * loving
    Derived terms
    * lovelily * loveliness
    Related terms
    * loverly * lovingly

    Noun

    (lovelies)
  • An attractive, lovely person, especially a (professional) beauty.
    • a calendar depicting young lovelies in bikinis
    • Goodbye, my lovely .
  • A lovely object. (rfex)
    • Synonyms
    * pretty, darling

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) lovely, loflik, from (etyl) . More at (l), (l).

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Worthy to be praised.

    • Anagrams

    *