adjective
dainty
Overly particular or easily displeased.
My brother is so dainty about food that he refuses leftovers.
Etymology
The older word concerns value or a delicacy. A preference for fine things could become excessive selectiveness, giving dainty its sense of being hard to please.
More examples
- She's too dainty to eat fruit with even a tiny bruise.
- Don't be so dainty about a little mud on your shoes.
- Our dainty guest complains about every dish we serve.
Forms
dainty · daintier · daintiest
daintiness noun — The quality of being excessively particular.
Similar words
- picky
- Picky emphasizes rejecting choices that do not meet personal preferences.
- fastidious
- Fastidious often stresses careful attention to cleanliness or small details.
- finicky
- Finicky suggests excessive fuss over minor details or preferences.