Sat, 02 May 2026 11:36:34 EDT
Pretty
The adjective pretty derives from the Anglo-Saxon pratti/praettig/prettig which meant cunning, skillful, artful, wily, and astute. In Middle English, the word became pratie/praty/prety, which meant cunning and clever.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the adjective acquired the meanings of manly and gallant when applied to men and their behavior and cleverly made, fine, and esthetically pleasing when applied to objects.
The modern senses of pretty are esthetically pleasing when applied to people and objects, particularly to female persons and delicate objects, to a moderate degree when used as an intensifier: pretty good, pretty soon, pretty much, and of significant magnitude when applied to money: a pretty penny/sum.