hunky

1 of 2

adjective

hunkier; hunkiest
: being a hunk : attractive and usually well-built
the film's hunky leading man

Hunky

2 of 2

noun

Hun·​ky ˈhəŋ-kē How to pronounce Hunky (audio)
variants or less commonly Hunkie
plural Hunkies
dated, usually disparaging + offensive
: a person of central or east European birth or descent

Examples of hunky in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Platonic pal/co-worker/womanizing roommate Eddie (the hunky Hugh Jackman) makes sure Jane is okay before a staff meeting. Kate Stroup, EW.com, 31 Dec. 2024 Meanwhile, Romy’s hunky theater director hubby Jacob (Antonio Banderas) doesn’t suspect a thing – at first. Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2024 Iceland, the hunky loner currently renting Sam’s family farm with his dog Wesley. Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2024 Target rolled out a hunky new take on Santa Claus in a recent set of holiday commercials depicting the infamous jolly man as a lowkey employee at the popular department store. Raven Brunner, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hunky 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of Hungarian

First Known Use

Adjective

1972, in the meaning defined above

Noun

circa 1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hunky was circa 1896

Dictionary Entries Near hunky

Cite this Entry

“Hunky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hunky. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.

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