adjective
dingy
DIHN-jee
Dingy (adjective) means Dark, dull, and lacking in cleanliness or brightness. Example: “They rented a dingy little apartment above the laundromat.”
adjective
1
Dark, dull, and lacking in cleanliness or brightness.
"They rented a dingy little apartment above the laundromat."
"The hallway lights had gone dingy and yellow with age."
"The station has been refurbished both at ground level and below ground, where the wide, fluorescently lit platforms are an almost unrecognisable metamorphosis of the dingy, reeking Low Level of old."
— , The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened (1960)
How to use dingy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDull, grubby, and run-down looking.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "dinghy" (a small boat) — they're pronounced quite differently.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
dingy room
dingy alley
dingy motel
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Word forms
- Comparative
- dingier
- Superlative
- dingiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They rented a _____ little apartment above the laundromat.
Etymology
From a dialectal English word meaning "dirty", likely related to Old English "dung".
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for dingy
See all rhymes for dingy →Frequently asked questions
What does “dingy” mean?
The word “dingy” means dark, dull, and lacking in cleanliness or brightness. In plain terms, dull, grubby, and run-down looking.
How do you pronounce “dingy”?
“Dingy” is pronounced DIHN-jee (/ˈdɪn.d͡ʒi/ in IPA).
How do you use “dingy” in a sentence?
Here is “dingy” used in a sentence: “They rented a dingy little apartment above the laundromat.”
What part of speech is “dingy”?
“Dingy” is an adjective.
Where does the word “dingy” come from?
The word “dingy” comes from Old English. From a dialectal English word meaning "dirty", likely related to Old English "dung".
