How to pronounce dinky
Say it like DING-kee. Dinky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DING).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dinky. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DING
- kee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dinky pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DINGSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- keeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of dinky
American and British speakers say dinky in essentially the same way: /ˈdɪŋki/ in the US and /ˈdɪŋki/ in the UK.
British respelling: DING-kee.
What does dinky mean?
- A dinky thing.
- A small mine car; especially, a small coal car.
- A person in a relationship with a double income and no kids.
- Tiny and cute; small and attractive.
- Tiny and insignificant; small and undesirable.“They stayed in a dinky hotel room, but they had a great trip.”
Where does dinky come from?
1780-90; compare Scots dink (“neatly dressed, trim”) (of obscure origin); sense shift perhaps: trim > dainty > small > insignificant; + -y.
Words that rhyme with dinky
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dinky.
Questions about saying dinky
How do you pronounce dinky?
Say DING-kee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdɪŋki/. In British English it is /ˈdɪŋki/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dinky?
Dinky has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (DING). Broken into parts: DING · kee.
Do Americans and Brits say dinky the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈdɪŋki/ and the British form is /ˈdɪŋki/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.