hunky

¹

[ huhng-kee ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. satisfactory; well; all right.
2. even; leaving no balance.

hunky

²

[ huhng-kee ]

adjective

, hunk·i·er, hunk·i·est.

1. Slang. (of a male) handsome and having well-developed physique.

hunky

³

or hunk·ie

[ huhng-kee ]

noun

, (sometimes initial capital letter)

, plural hunk·ies.

1. a contemptuous term used to refer to a person of Hungarian or Slavic descent, especially an unskilled or semiskilled worker.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hunky¹

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65; from obsolete New York City slang term hunk, used especially by boys at play for home base, home (the goal); from Dutch honk “post, station, base, home” + -y ¹( def ); hunky-dory ( def )

Origin of hunky²

First recorded in 1910–15; hunk + -y ¹

Origin of hunky³

First recorded in 1905–10; (bo)hunk ( def ) + -y ²( def )

Example Sentences

Diggs, a member of the original Broadway company of “Rent,” had become a sex symbol, fresh off his star-making role as Angela Bassett’s hunky love interest in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.”

From Los Angeles Times

Next came the front covers of both Hunky Dory and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - the latter famously depicting Bowie's alien alter ego in a rainy Heddon Street in London's West End, leg propped up and guitar in hand.

From BBC

The film’s central romance and its twisty complications were dreamed up by the director and his co-writer Powell, an official Internet Boyfriend who makes a meal out of his character’s nerdy/hunky dichotomy.

From Los Angeles Times

Between slightly cheeky lyrics like “I think of you and lick my lips, you've got the taste that I can't resist” and “you’re chunky and hunky, I'm coming back for more” is the ear-worm of a chorus: McDonald's, McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and a Pizza Hut.

From Salon

The hunky actor’s appeal gives the writers latitude with character.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• attractive
• handsome
• well-built