English Reference

Word

lacey

Phoneticslacey

/ˈɫeɪsi/

Definition

adj. made of or looking like lace, which is a delicate fabric with many small holes. You use this to describe clothes or decorations that have a pretty, net-like pattern.

adj. resembling or made of lace; characterized by a delicate, openwork pattern. Often used to describe textiles or natural structures that have a fine, web-like appearance.

Examples

“She wore a white lacey dress to the party.”

“The morning frost left a lacey pattern of ice across the bedroom window.”

“The designer's spring collection featured lacey overlays that added a sense of weightless elegance to the structured silk gowns beneath.”

Examples

simple

“She wore a white lacey dress to the party.”

contextual

“The morning frost left a lacey pattern of ice across the bedroom window.”

complex

“The designer's spring collection featured lacey overlays that added a sense of weightless elegance to the structured silk gowns beneath.”

Usage

Commonly used to describe fabrics, but also applied metaphorically to patterns in nature like leaves or frost.

Pitfall

a lacye curtain

a lacy curtain

While 'lacey' is a common variant, 'lacy' is the more standard spelling in most English dictionaries.

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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English Reference