What it means
Cheeky means a bit bold, a bit fresh, maybe mildly rude, but in a way that lands funny or weirdly lovable instead of properly offensive. In British and Irish chat it also gets used for small indulgences you know you didn't strictly need but you're having anyway. That's why people say stuff like a cheeky pint, a cheeky takeaway, or a cheeky little bid online with that tiny guilty grin baked in.
Usage examples
"We clocked off early, so Dave suggested a cheeky Nando's, then a cheeky pint. Somehow we ended up in the kebab shop at midnight."
"He gave me a cheeky wink and pinched the last chip off my plate."
"We popped out for a cheeky pint after work, just the one."
"Go on then, let's get a cheeky takeaway and pretend cooking was never the plan."
"She slipped in a cheeky little online order before payday and called it self-care."
Where it comes from
It comes from cheek in the older sense of nerve, impudence, or being a bit too forward. That meaning's been around in English since the 19th century. Cheeky grew out of that and settled into meaning playfully rude or bold, then later picked up that very British wink-wink sense of a small naughty treat.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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