A small, neat, or dapper person; a diminutive or affectionate term for someone who is trim and well-dressed.
From 'dapper' plus the diminutive suffix '-ling,' which comes from Old English and Germanic roots meaning 'little one'; similar to 'duckling' or 'fondling.'
The -ling suffix is one of English's cutest productive morphemes, originally meaning something small but now often affectionate or slightly mocking—calling someone a 'dapperling' would be like saying 'little dandy.'
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.