sporty

[ spawr-tee, spohr- ]

adjective

, Informal.

, sport·i·er, sport·i·est.

1. flashy; showy.
2. smart in dress, behavior, etc.
3. like or befitting a sportsman.
4. dissipated; fast:

   a sporty crowd.

5. designed for or suitable for sport.

sporty

/ ˈspɔːtɪ /

adjective

1. (of a person) fond of sport or outdoor activities
2. (of clothes) having the appearance of sportswear
3. (of a car) having the performance or appearance of a sports car

noun

1. informal.
   a young person who typically wears sportswear, is competitive about sport , and takes an interest in his or her fitness

Derived Forms

• ˈsportiness, noun
• ˈsportily, adverb

Other Words From

• sporti·ly adverb
• sporti·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sporty¹

First recorded in 1885–90; sport + -y ¹

Example Sentences

“She was very fit, sporty. Wearing a headband, and sunglasses. Her buttons were done up and she was wearing a scarf,” the detective adds.

From BBC

I was never sporty, but I’d mark out the pitch.

From Los Angeles Times

"I was always very sporty growing up, I dipped my toe in everything that I could," he said.

From BBC

The visual language of Katseye doesn’t feel archetypal or reductive, as most girl groups throughout modern music history have — there is no one single sporty one, no one single shy one, no one single edgy one.

From Los Angeles Times

At the time, I had big curly hair, I was wearing a sporty dress, and he said, “Oh, you look like a circus girl, you can start tomorrow.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• snazzy