adjective
spiffy
SPIH-fee
Spiffy (adjective) means Smart, neat, and stylish in appearance. Example: “He showed up to the interview in a spiffy new suit.”
adjective
1
Smart, neat, and stylish in appearance.
"He showed up to the interview in a spiffy new suit."
"The renovated lobby looks pretty spiffy now."
How to use spiffy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishLooking sharp, neat, or fashionable.
When to use it
A dated, slightly old-fashioned slang word — still understood but rarely used by younger speakers.
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Word forms
- Comparative
- spiffier
- Superlative
- spiffiest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He showed up to the interview in a _____ new suit.
Etymology
Origin unknown, first recorded in print in the 1850s; related informal words like "spiff" and "spiffing" appeared soon after.
Class of 1850
spiffy joined the language around 1850.
See the full Class of 1850 →
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for spiffy
See all rhymes for spiffy →Frequently asked questions
What does “spiffy” mean?
The word “spiffy” means smart, neat, and stylish in appearance. In plain terms, looking sharp, neat, or fashionable.
How do you pronounce “spiffy”?
“Spiffy” is pronounced SPIH-fee (/ˈspɪfi/ in IPA).
How do you use “spiffy” in a sentence?
Here is “spiffy” used in a sentence: “He showed up to the interview in a spiffy new suit.”
What part of speech is “spiffy”?
“Spiffy” is an adjective.
Where does the word “spiffy” come from?
The word “spiffy” dates back to around 1850. Origin unknown, first recorded in print in the 1850s; related informal words like "spiff" and "spiffing" appeared soon after.
