Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Word of the Day for Wednesday, April 11, 2012

tony \TOH-nee\,
 adjective: High-toned; stylish.

When we ate lunch in a tony restaurant near the Empire State Building, Ricky ordered a turkey sandwich and a glass of milk. I followed suit, not really knowing what to order in a restaurant. -- David Appleton, Son: "Saved from Myself"

Then she had an appointment for a massage, and was ending her day by trying on wedding gowns at a tony dress shop on Fifth Avenue that Ava had located during her visit. -- E. Lynn Harris, "Not a Day Goes By"

 An Americanism, tony entered the language in the 1870s. Its precise origin is unclear, but it is related to the word tone meaning "a particular quality or way of sounding."

 Dictionary.com Word of the Day