Prissy: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe someone who is excessively proper, often to an annoying degree, and avoids anything they consider improper or dirty. It has a somewhat negative connotation.

• She refused to go camping because she found it too dirty and uncomfortable. People called her prissy for it.
• He always insisted on the best manners at the table, sometimes coming across as quite prissy.

Describes someone who is very formal, neat, and proper in a way that is often considered old-fashioned or prudish. Often has a slightly negative connotation.

• She sat prim and proper, making sure her dress didn't have a single wrinkle.
• He spoke in a prim tone, which made him seem distant and unapproachable.

Used when someone is overly concerned about minor details or very particular and difficult to please, often viewed as bothersome.

• The child was so fussy about her food that she wouldn't eat anything that wasn't perfectly cooked.
• He can be fussy about his work environment, insisting everything be in its exact place.

Describes someone who is excessively concerned with cleanliness or order, sometimes viewed as unnecessary or obsessive.

• Her desk was always overly neat, with every paper perfectly aligned.
• He's overly neat about his car; he washes it every day.

Used to describe someone who is overly proper and sensitive about manners and appearance, often with a negative connotation.

• She wouldn't sit on the grass because she thought it was too dirty. She's so prissy sometimes.
• His prissy attitude made him unwelcome at the casual party.

Used to describe something or someone as small, delicate, and pretty. Often used for objects or actions that are graceful or fragile.

• She took a dainty sip of her tea.
• The cupcakes were decorated with dainty flowers.

Used to describe someone who is very particular about details and often complains about things not being just right. Can imply a negative judgment about unnecessary complaining.

• He's so fussy about his food that he rarely eats out.
• She can be fussy about her desk being perfectly organized.

Used to describe someone or something that is pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner. A positive and sophisticated term.

• She wore an elegant black dress to the gala.
• The hotel lobby was designed with elegant furniture.