dickey

¹

or dick·y, dick·ie

[ dik-ee ]

noun

, plural dick·eys.

1. an article of clothing made to look like the front or collar of a shirt, blouse, vest, etc., worn as a separate piece under another garment, as a jacket or dress. Compare vest ( def 2 ), vestee.
2. a detachable linen shirt collar.
3. a bib or pinafore worn by a child.
4. a small bird.
5. a donkey, especially a male.
6. an outside seat on a carriage.
7. British. rumble seat ( def 1 ).

dickey

²

[ dik-ee ]

adjective

, Chiefly British Slang.

1. not working properly; faulty:

   I'm fed up with this dickey air conditioner.

Dickey

³

[ dik-ee ]

noun

1. James, 1923–97, U.S. poet and novelist.
2. William Bill, 1907–93, U.S. baseball player.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dickey¹

First recorded in 1745–55; generic use of Dicky, diminutive of Dick, proper name

Origin of dickey²

First recorded in 1805–15; origin uncertain

Example Sentences

But there were also hot pants over sheer logo tights and cropped white cotton dickeys.

From New York Times

Jane, after some hesitation, eventually decided that a white dickey would be just the thing for Mr. Banks, and she bought Robinson Crusoe for the Twins to read when they grew up.

From Literature

Black pants, green blazer with matching beret, a white turtleneck dickey, and white galoshes to go over sneakers.

From New York Times

"Then will you tell me please why you always glance about so nervously? You look like a dickey bird in a yard full of cats, as Mr. Pope would say."

From Literature

Even dickeys, shirtless collars once the purview of only the nerdiest of nerds, are getting a second look.

From New York Times