Learn English – The differences between “dainty, small and delicate”

word-usage

Dainty and small girls would love to be pale and delicate.

This sentence is from an article about "Looking Good".

When I look over dainty on online dictionary
I find its synonyms are "small, delicate". I found other usages such as dainty small earrings, a dainty small cake.

I want to know "Why did the author use these synonyms together in a sentence?" Is it redundant adjective or emphasis adjective used instead of 'very'.

Best Answer

  • small is an adjective used to describe size

  • delicate is an adjective used to describe how fragile something is

  • dainty is a form of "delicate" with a meaning of "pretty" and "cute"

For example, lace can be described as "dainty"

here
(source: oldandsold.com)


"To walk daintily" could mean "to walk carefully or gingerly" so as not to upset anything under foot (like a cat might do) or "to walk in a (certain) stylized feminine manner" (like how a bride might walk in a dress with a long train).