dusty

[ duhs-tee ]

adjective

, dust·i·er, dust·i·est.

1. filled, covered, or clouded with or as with dust.
2. of the nature of dust; powdery.
3. of the color of dust; having a grayish cast.

dusty

/ ˈdʌstɪ /

adjective

1. covered with or involving dust
2. like dust in appearance or colour
3. (of a colour) tinged with grey; pale

   dusty pink

4. a dusty answer
   an unhelpful or bad-tempered reply
5. not so dusty informal.
   not too bad; fairly well: often in response to the greeting how are you?

Derived Forms

• ˈdustiness, noun
• ˈdustily, adverb

Other Words From

• dusti·ly adverb
• dusti·ness noun
• un·dusty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dusty¹

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; dust, -y ¹

Example Sentences

The Santa Ana winds are notorious for being hot, dry and dusty, but the quality that really defines these ‘devil winds’ is their direction.

From Los Angeles Times

Why had the Trump campaign chosen a dusty industrial lot in a grimy corner of Philly for this grave announcement?

From Los Angeles Times

As millions cheered Shohei Ohtani’s debut in the World Series at Dodger Stadium, a couple of dozen ballplayers of Japanese descent gathered last weekend on a dusty field 200 miles north.

From Los Angeles Times

Coming around the final corner on lap 62, Leclerc ran wide, onto the dusty outside of the track, and then off the circuit, and Norris swept by into second place.

From BBC

The Santa Ana winds are notorious for being hot, dry, and dusty — traits that have earned them the nickname “devil winds” — but the quality that really defines them is their direction.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chalky
• dirty
• sandy