pretty

The word “pretty” means attractive or pleasant to look at, especially in a delicate or charming way. In plain terms, either "attractive" (adjective) or "fairly/quite" as a softening word before another adjective.

“Pretty” is pronounced PRIHT-ee (/ˈpɹɪt.i/ in IPA).

Here is “pretty” used in a sentence: “They planted a pretty flower garden along the front path.”

The opposite of “pretty” — its antonyms — is ugly.

Depending on how it is used, “pretty” can be an adjective and an adverb.

The word “pretty” comes from Old English. From Old English prættig, "cunning, sly, tricky" — the sense shifted over time from "clever" to "attractive," similar to how "cute" developed.

“Pretty” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

“Pretty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: attractive or pleasant to look at, especially in a delicate or charming way.

Both describe something pleasant to look at, but they differ in strength. "Pretty" suggests a light, delicate, charming attractiveness, pleasing without being overwhelming. "Beautiful" is stronger and deeper, implying striking, sometimes breathtaking beauty. A garden can be pretty; a sunset over mountains might be called beautiful. Beautiful is generally the bigger compliment.

Yes. Although "pretty" is often used for a person's appearance, it applies to many things: a pretty dress, a pretty village, a pretty tune, a pretty view. In each case it means delicately attractive or pleasant. So "pretty" is not limited to women or faces; it suits anything charming and pleasing to the senses.

The usual opposites are "ugly," meaning unpleasant to look at, and "plain," meaning ordinary and unremarkable rather than actively unattractive. "Plain" is the gentler opposite, simply lacking prettiness, while "ugly" is stronger and more negative. Which one fits depends on how blunt you intend to be.