Dictionary

ditzy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdɪtsi/ (UK)

Etymology

Since early 1800s commonly used by Pennsylvania Dutch (Penslfawnisch Deitsch); possibly a borrowing from dialectal German dutzig, also dützig, ditzig (“numb, dazed, dizzy, as after having been punched; dull, stupid”), from dialectal dutzen (“to butt, hit, punch”). Compare German verdutzt (“dumbfounded”) and regional Dötsche (“bump, dent, bruise”). Unlikely, an alteration of dizzy, of American origin.

Meanings

1. (informal) Silly or scatterbrained, usually of a young woman.
   • What’s more, Friends offers someone for everyone: a tall, dorky, insecure guy (David Schwimmer); a ditzy, guitar-strumming blonde (Lisa Kudrow); a handsome, jean-clad palooka (Matt LeBlanc); a sarcastic, 9-to-5-ing funnyman ([Matthew] Perry); a dark-haired, blue-eyed Veronica (Courteney Cox); and a spoiled suburban princess just finding her legs ([Jennifer] Aniston). 1996 March 7, Rich Cohen, “Jennifer Aniston: The Girl Friend”, in Rolling Stone:
   • After hiring a crew of young guys and gals including loyal Jo, unlucky-in-love Frankie, strapping Bob, wisecracking Dee Dee, ditzy blonde Jonesy and titian-haired Penny, the gang drives up to the lodge. 2015, Thomas Lisanti, Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969, McFarland, →ISBN, page 262:
   • […] —and she'd smile like a primly mischievous Japanese girl, or like some slyly ditzy ingenue on a talk show, all the while watching her interrogator try to fathom (though sometimes they were pretty dim and just said, “Oh”) the surprising cleverness of her answer. 2013, Francisco Goldman, The Long Night of White Chickens, Grove Press, Seven
   • The guy tossed some cash on the counter, then left with the ditzy girl and Abigail's fan. 2011, Ellen Block, The Definition of Wind: A Novel, Bantam, →ISBN, page 31:

Forms

Deriveds

ditziness · ditz · ditzily

Translations (17)

pl idiotyczny (silly or scatterbrained) · cs potrhlý (silly or scatterbrained) · it scervellato (silly or scatterbrained) · pt avoado (silly or scatterbrained) · de leicht daneben (silly or scatterbrained) · pl głupawy (silly or scatterbrained) · hu kótyagos (silly or scatterbrained) · de verwirrt (silly or scatterbrained) · cs pitomý (silly or scatterbrained) · fi hölmö (silly or scatterbrained) · hu szétszórt (silly or scatterbrained) · fr sot (silly or scatterbrained) · ru легкомы́сленный (silly or scatterbrained) · ro cu mintea în altă parte (silly or scatterbrained) · fi ajattelematon (silly or scatterbrained) · it svampito (silly or scatterbrained) · ro buimac (silly or scatterbrained)