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adjective

dewy

DYOO-ee

Dewy (adjective) means Covered with tiny drops of moisture, as grass or leaves are in the early morning. Example: “They walked barefoot across the dewy lawn at sunrise.”

adjective
1
Covered with tiny drops of moisture, as grass or leaves are in the early morning.
"They walked barefoot across the dewy lawn at sunrise."
"Her boots were soaked from the dewy field."
2
Having a soft, fresh, moist look, often used of skin or eyes.
"The actress had a dewy complexion that the camera loved."
"His eyes went dewy at the sight of the old photograph."

How to use dewy

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDamp with dew, or (for skin/eyes) looking fresh, moist, and glowing.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "doughy" (soft like dough) — they look similar in print but mean completely different things.

Easily confused with
doughy
Common pairings
dewy morning dewy grass dewy skin dewy-eyed

Word forms

dewier comparative, more dewy comparative, dewiest superlative, most dewy superlative

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Test yourself on “dewy” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They walked barefoot across the _____ lawn at sunrise.

Etymology

From Old English deawig, built from dew plus the adjective ending -y — the same pattern as sunny from sun or rainy from rain.

Origin: Old English

Rhymes for dewy

See all rhymes for dewy →

Frequently asked questions

What does “dewy” mean?

The word “dewy” means covered with tiny drops of moisture, as grass or leaves are in the early morning. In plain terms, damp with dew, or (for skin/eyes) looking fresh, moist, and glowing.

How do you pronounce “dewy”?

“Dewy” is pronounced DYOO-ee (/ˈdjuː.i/ in IPA).

How do you use “dewy” in a sentence?

Here is “dewy” used in a sentence: “They walked barefoot across the dewy lawn at sunrise.”

What part of speech is “dewy”?

“Dewy” is an adjective.

Where does the word “dewy” come from?

The word “dewy” comes from Old English. From Old English deawig, built from dew plus the adjective ending -y — the same pattern as sunny from sun or rainy from rain.

How many meanings does “dewy” have?

“Dewy” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: covered with tiny drops of moisture, as grass or leaves are in the early morning.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial