DictionaryAI

shiny

SHY-nee/ˈʃaɪ.ni/

Noun pluralshinies

7 meanings of shiny

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Bright and smooth, so that light bounces off it.

    She polished her shoes until they were shiny.

    The new coin was much shinier than the old ones.

    Similarglossy, gleaming, lustrous, polished, bright

    Oppositedull, matte, flat

    Note
  2. 2
    nouncolloquialcountable
    Any small bright thing that catches your eye.

    The magpie stole every shiny it could find in the garden.

    Her drawer was full of shinies from years of fairs.

    Similartrinket, bauble, knickknack

    Note
  3. 3
    adjectivecolloquial
    Very good, or great.

    Everything is shiny, do not worry about it.

    The plan sounded shiny until the rain started.

    Similarfine, good, great, cool

  4. 4
    nouncountable
    In video games, a rare item or creature that players want to collect.

    She spent hours hunting for a shiny in the game.

    Players trade shinies with each other online.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 5
    adjectiveobsolete
    In old use, bright and clear, like a day full of sunshine.
    Like distant thunder on a shiny day.
    1665, John Dryden, Verses to her Royal Highness the Duchess [of York]Here, shiny means bright and clear, full of sunshine.
    When I was bound apprentice in famous Lincolnshire Full well I served my master for nigh on seven years Till I took up to poaching as you shall quickly hear Oh, 'tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
    The Lincolnshire Poacher (traditional song)Here, shiny means bright and clear, so a night lit up well.
    Note
  2. 6
    nounderogatorydatedcountable
    An old, unkind slang word for someone who works at a desk.

    The soldiers called the clerks at headquarters shinies.

    Every shiny in the office went home at five, the drivers grumbled.

    Similarclerk, pen-pusher, bureaucrat

    Note
  3. 7
    adjective
    Giving off light.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of shiny apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3, 5

From the word "shine" plus "-y", which makes an adjective.

Meanings 2, 4

From the word "shine" plus "-y", which makes a noun.

Meaning 6

A short form of "shiny arse", which began in World War II.