doughboy

[ doh-boi ]

noun

1. Informal. an American infantryman, especially in World War I.
2. a rounded mass of dough, boiled or steamed as a dumpling or deep-fried and served as a hot bread.

doughboy

/ ˈdəʊˌbɔɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   an infantryman, esp in World War I
2. dough that is boiled or steamed as a dumpling

Word History and Origins

Origin of doughboy¹

1675–85; dough + boy; sense “infantryman,” from mid-1860s, is obscurely derived; two plausible, but unsubstantiated claims: doughboy originally referred to the globular brass buttons on infantry uniforms, likened to the pastry; dough referred to a clay used to clean the white uniform belts

Example Sentences

There is circumstantial evidence that the Pillsbury doughboy, the brand’s seminal mascot, was first drawn by a Springfield plant manager who eschewed credit, not, as the company maintains, in a Chicago ad agency.

From Seattle Times

Charlie Chaplin’s 1918 short “Shoulder Arms” featured a clumsy doughboy rescuing a French girl while on a secret mission; King Vidor’s 1925 epic “The Big Parade” braided battle scenes and courtship rituals.

From Los Angeles Times

I charged up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders and joined the doughboys over there.

From Washington Times

Seventeen months later, after millions of American doughboys had taken up arms in Europe and 117,000 were killed, the Germans surrendered.

From Washington Post

When l am not worrying over our valiant doughboys, I worry over what's happening here at home.

From Literature