hoity-toitily

hoity-toitily

English

WOTD – 7 February 2010

Etymology

From hoity-toity +‎ -ly.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˌhɔɪ.tiˈtɔɪ.tɪ.li/

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Adverb

hoity-toitily (comparative more hoity-toitily, superlative most hoity-toitily)

1. In a pompous or snobbish manner.
   • 2001, Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary: A Novel‎, page 36:

     "It's none of your business," I said hoity-toitily.

Related terms

• hoity-toity

Translations

in a pompous or snobbish manner

Finnish: koppavasti (fi) French: avec un air de duchesse, pompeusement (fr), avec un air supérieur

Spanish: pomposamente (es)