Home Dictionary Pprissily

prissily

prissily

Adverb

This term carries a strong negative connotation, suggesting a level of primness that is perceived as affected, unnatural, or irritatingly precise. It describes behavior that is not just neat, but obsessively focused on minor details of etiquette or appearance to signal a sense of moral or social superiority.

Because it is an adverb derived from the informal adjective "prissy," it is rarely used in formal academic or legal writing. It is most appropriate in narrative fiction or descriptive prose to characterize a person's mannerisms as fussy or overly fastidious.

Meanings

Adverbprissily

In a manner that is excessively concerned with propriety, formality, or primness, often to a point of being fastidious or fussy.

She adjusted her lace collar prissily before stepping out of the car.

Examples

She sat prissily on the edge of the velvet sofa, careful not to wrinkle her dress.

Stop acting so prissily and just jump into the lake with us.

He adjusted his tie prissily in the mirror before the board meeting.

Business

Why does she always speak so prissily when the teacher is around?

School Life

The Duchess looked down her nose and sighed prissily at the rustic decor.

History

I cannot believe he is prissily complaining about a tiny smudge on the silver.

Gourmet

She folded her hands prissily in her lap and waited for the apology.

Apology

The butler prissily rearranged the coasters to ensure they were perfectly aligned.

She walked prissily through the mud, lifting her skirts with an expression of pure disgust.

Last Updated: May 2026•Report an Error