dowdy

See also: Dowdy

English

Etymology

Late 16th century. Origin uncertain: probably literally “little poorly dressed woman,” formed from doue, “poorly dressed woman.”

Pronunciation

• enPR: dou'dē, IPA^(key): /ˈdaʊdi/, /ˈdoudē/

• Rhymes: -aʊdi

Adjective

dowdy (comparative dowdier, superlative dowdiest)

1. Plain and unfashionable in style or dress.
2. Lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby.
   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

     [...she was] a perfect saint amongst women, but so dreadfully dowdy that she reminded one of a badly bound hymn-book.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• dowd
• dowdify
• dowdily
• dowdiness
• dowdyish
• dowdyism

Translations

plain and unfashionable in style or dress

• Finnish: tyylitön
• French: vieux jeu (fr)
• German: schäbig (de), unelegant
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: κακοντυμένος (el) (kakontyménos)
• Russian: немо́дный (ru) (nemódnyj), неэлега́нтный (neelegántnyj), безвку́сный (ru) (bezvkúsnyj)
• Turkish: hırpani (tr), pejmürde (tr), yırtık pırtık (tr)

lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby

• Finnish: tyylitön, mauton (fi), nuhjuinen (fi)
• German: abgetragen (de), schäbig (de)
• Russian: неэлега́нтный (neelegántnyj)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Spanish: desaliñado (es) m
• Turkish: eski püskü, pejmürde (tr)

Noun

dowdy (plural dowdies)

1. A plain or shabby woman.