Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NATTY

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connect today's word to others: Picture Frank Sinatra, hip and classy in a sharp tailored suit, shoes and cufflinks gleaming. He's stylish, fashionable, and dressed to the nines: he's natty. Where the word natty comes from, we're not sure, but it might be related to neat.  Some fun-to-say synonyms for natty include spiffy, dapper, r_ffi__, and ch___i. Can you recall those last two? (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "NATTY" Natty things and people are stylish and fashionable in a neat, sharp, smart way. Pronunciation: NAD ee Part of speech: Adjective: "a natty hat," "he was natty in dark slacks." Other forms: nattily, nattiness What about the other "natty," as in "natty dreadlocks"? Our word "natty," meaning "sharp, chic, dapper," is spelled the same as another word with a different meaning. "Natty," which probably derived from the word "knotty," means "matted, or uncombed." How to use it: This fun, jazzy, sophisticated word works well in both formal and informal conversation and writing. Talk about natty people, natty dressers, natty hair styles, natty attire or clothing, a natty sense of style or fashion, etc. You can also say that certain articles of clothing or accessories are natty: a natty business suit, this natty emerald green blazer, his natty wool cravat. Finally, it's less common, but you might describe items and aspects you don't wear as natty: natty boutiques, natty chairs, natty grandfather clocks, natty brass nailheads, etc. examples: It's eyeliner in a stamp: a shortcut to getting that natty winged look, à la Amy Winehouse. "'We think of champagne as a food group,' says a waiter, natty in black, as he fills the glasses with Bollinger."    — Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post, 11 November 2016 study it: Explain the meaning of "natty" without saying "snazzy" or "smartly dressed." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "For (some occasion), (someone) showed up nattily dressed in _____." Example: "For the job interview, he showed up nattily dressed in a suit and tie--but, it was Hawaii, and the interviewers wore shorts, sandals, and aloha shirts." before you review, play: Spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—let your working memory empty out first. Our game this month is "Inspired by, but in no way associated with, Jeopardy!" In each issue, I'll create three "answers" for you, and you supply the "questions." (That is, you'll respond in the form of a question, like "What is...?" or "Who is...?") From the previous issue: 1. Category: The B is Silent. Answer: It's to submit, or to surrender. Question: What is "succumb"? 2. Category: "N"ine-Letter Words. Answer: It describes animals active at night, like bats and owls.  Question: What is "nocturnal"? 3. Category: Anagrammed Appetizers. Answer: No spaghetti, but maybe some toothpicks to prevent rolling: Blastemal. Question: What are meatballs? Try these today: 1. Category: "N"ine-Letter Words. Answer: It's a poet's word for dusk or twilight.  2. Category: Anagrammed Appetizers. Answer: They'll fly off the plate: Swing. 3. Category: Stoned Bands. Answer: Wild horses couldn't drag them away: they've been rolling strong since 1962. review today's word: 1. The opposite of NATTY is A. GLOSSY. B. UNKEMPT. C. BLENDED. 2. The Beast scowls at his reflection, his _____ in a failed attempt at nattiness. A. scars bandaged B. mane curled and braided C. teeth sharpened into jagged points Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B