mincing steps
Prissy little footfalls
Mincing steps are short, dainty, overly delicate steps, often with an affected quality.
The phrase typically describes walking that appears prissy or exaggeratedly careful: She took mincing steps across the wet grass in her new heels.
When applied to men, it often carries effeminate connotations.
The word mincing here suggests something cut into small pieces—steps chopped unnaturally short.
- daintyDelicately small and pretty
- tiptoeWalk on foot-fronts
- en pointeBallet's toe-standing position
- primAffectedly proper and stiff
- delicateEasily broken or harmed
shuffling · prancing · cat walk · tottering · petite · ladylike · finishing school · affected · prissy · careful · light-footed · fussy · coy · heels · ballet · cautious · demure · gait