1 hoity-toity | Definition of hoity-toity
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hoity-toity

noun
hoi·​ty-toi·​ty | \ ËŒhȯi-tÄ“-ˈtȯi-tÄ“ How to pronounce hoity-toity (audio) , ËŒhÄ«-tÄ“-ˈtÄ«-tÄ“\

Definition of hoity-toity

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: thoughtless giddy behavior

hoity-toity

adjective

Definition of hoity-toity (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : thoughtlessly silly or frivolous : flighty
2 : marked by an air of assumed importance : highfalutin a hoity-toity college professor The restaurant was too hoity-toity for my tastes.

When Should You Use hoity-toity?

Today we most often use hoity-toity as an adjective, but before it was an adjective it was a noun meaning "thoughtless giddy behavior." The noun, which first appeared in print in the middle of the 17th century, was probably created as a singsongy rhyme based on the dialectal English word hoit, meaning "to play the fool." The adjective hoity-toity can stay close to its roots and mean "foolish" ("… as though it were very hoity-toity of me not to know that royal personage." — W. Somerset Maugham, The Razor’s Edge), but in current use it more often means "pretentious."

First Known Use of hoity-toity

Noun

1668, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for hoity-toity

Noun

rhyming compound from English dialect hoit to play the fool

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More Definitions for hoity-toity

hoity-toity

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of hoity-toity

chiefly US, informal : having or showing the insulting attitude of people who think that they are better, smarter, or more important than other people

See the full definition for hoity-toity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on hoity-toity

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hoity-toity

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