Dictionary

nattily en · ADV

Etymology

Etymology tree English natty Middle English -ly English -ly English nattily From natty + -ly.

Meanings

1. In a natty manner.
   • It was a tantalizing promise, delivered with Donald Trump’s trademark panache: As dealmaker in chief, he would quickly end world conflicts that had defied his predecessors and their nattily dressed legions of career diplomats. 2025 April 24, Ned Temko, “Trump’s ‘quick fix’ approach to diplomacy slow to yield results”, in The Christian Science Monitor, archived from the original on 24 Jul 2025:
   • Perhaps the attitude of the city was best personified by a nattily-dressed gentleman who wormed his way into the hearing room at around 8:00 p.m. He did not ask what was going on, nor whom to address his extemporaneous remarks. "I just wanted to come in and be recorded against this," he said, and then left. 1977 February 12, David Brill, “Conservative Chelsea in an Uproar Over New Bar”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 33, page 3:
   • When Davey grasped spears and wommera it was impossible to recognize in this painted savage the alert, nattily dressed tracker. 1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 77:
   • He arrived at the party, nattily dressed and eager to socialize.

Forms