Dictionary

dowdy en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈdaʊdi/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• dou'dē (UK, US)

Etymology

First appears c. 1581. Origin uncertain, probably literally "little poorly dressed woman," formed from doue, "poorly dressed woman". Possibly also related to the Scots dow, meaning to "fade".

Meanings

1. Plain and unfashionable in style or dress.
2. Lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby.
   • [...she was] a perfect saint amongst women, but so dreadfully dowdy that she reminded one of a badly bound hymn-book. 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, London; New York, N.Y.: Ward Lock & Co., →OCLC:
   • Miss Marina Thompson, a distant cousin of my husband's. She's rather dowdy, is she not? 2020 December 25, Chris Van Dusen, “Diamond of the First Water”, in Bridgerton, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Lady Portia Featherington:
   • “Ha! Shagging a chair is quite odd.” “Its legs were very sexy. And I know how you are, so I expected a challenge. What did you turn into anyway?” “Oh, the dowdiest mortal woman. You should have seen it.” “Oh, I would have been all over that.” “I know!” 2025 May 11, Monica Padrick, “Don Tyxote” (15:59 from the start), in Krapopolis, season 2, episode 21, spoken by Deliria (Hannah Waddingham):

Forms

Deriveds

dowd · dowdyism · dowdify · dowdiness · dowdily · dowdyish

Relateds

matronly

Translations (34)

fr vieux jeu (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · tr pejmürde (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · cs neelegantní (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · es desastrado (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · uk немодний (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · de unelegant (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · tr pejmürde (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · tr hırpani (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv tarvlig (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · tr yırtık pırtık (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv slampig (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · ru безвку́сный (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · cs ošuntělý (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · ru неэлега́нтный (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · el κακοντυμένος (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv lunsig (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · ru неэлега́нтный (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · de schäbig (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · mi kanukanu (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · de abgetragen (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · fi tyylitön (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · uk без смаку (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · uk старомодний (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv sjaskig (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · fi tyylitön (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · ru немо́дный (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · cs staromódní (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · de schäbig (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv omodern (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · sv torftig (plain and unfashionable in style or dress) · fi nuhjuinen (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · tr eski püskü (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · fi mauton (lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby) · sv smaklös (plain and unfashionable in style or dress)

dowdy en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdaʊdi/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• dou'dē (UK, US)

Etymology

First appears c. 1581. Origin uncertain, probably literally "little poorly dressed woman," formed from doue, "poorly dressed woman". Possibly also related to the Scots dow, meaning to "fade".

Meanings

1. A plain or shabby person.
   • “I knew there were women-dowdies in Bengal. They come up here sometimes. But I didn't know that there were men-dowds, too.” 1889, Rudyard Kipling, “The Education of Otis Yeere”, in Under the Deodars, Boston: The Greenock Press, published 1899, page 29:
   • Besides these, however, and the determined dowdies, women who either do not understand dress, or who will not be troubled with it, there are certainly many who, while always anxious to appear to the best advantage, are not wealthy enough to do so […] 1877, Truth, volume 1, page 615:
   • The men are all dowdies and the women are all dandies, aren't they? 1895, Oscar Wilde, An Ideal Husband:

Forms

dowdy en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈdaʊdi/ (UK, US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• dou'dē (UK, US)

Etymology

First appears c. 1581. Origin uncertain, probably literally "little poorly dressed woman," formed from doue, "poorly dressed woman". Possibly also related to the Scots dow, meaning to "fade".

Meanings

1. (transitive) To press the crust into the filling during baking, to allow the juices to caramelize on top.
   • Topping the apples with squares of dough allowed steam to escape during baking, preventing the apples from overcooking. Dowdying the crust partway through created the dessert's sweet finish. 2021, America's Test Kitchen, The Complete Cook’s Country TV Show Cookbook, page 743:

Forms

Deriveds

dowdy up · pandowdy · figgy-dowdy