'dainty' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'deintie' (or 'deinté'), where the root was associated with Latin 'delectare' meaning 'to delight' or 'to please'.

'dainty' changed from Middle English 'daintie' (borrowed from Old French 'deintie') and eventually became the modern English word 'dainty'.

Initially it meant 'delight' or 'a thing giving pleasure' (esp. a delicious morsel); over time it shifted to mean 'small, delicate, or fastidious', and the adverb form 'daintily' now means 'in a delicate or refined manner'.