dowdy

¹

[ dou-dee ]

adjective

, dow·di·er, dow·di·est.

1. not stylish; drab; old-fashioned:

   Why do you always wear those dowdy old dresses?

   Synonyms: frumpy

   Antonyms: stylish, fashionable

2. not neat or tidy; shabby.

noun

, plural dow·dies.

1. a dowdy woman.

dowdy

²

[ dou-dee ]

noun

, plural dow·dies.

1. a shortened form of pandowdy.

dowdy

/ ˈdaʊdɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of a woman's dress) drab, unflattering, and old-fashioned

noun

1. a dowdy woman

Derived Forms

• ˈdowdily, adverb
• ˈdowdiness, noun
• ˈdowdyish, adjective

Other Words From

• dowdi·ly adverb
• dowdi·ness noun
• dowdy·ish adjective
• dowdy·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowdy¹

1300–50; Middle English doude unattractive woman (of uncertain origin) + -y ¹ or -y ²

Origin of dowdy²

First recorded in 1935–40; short form

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowdy¹

C14: dowd slut, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

She wore dowdy skirts with equally drab cardigans.

From Los Angeles Times

Unthinkable as it seems, Edna was dowdy then, given to mousy brown hair and pillbox hats.

From New York Times

It opened hundreds of stores, from fashionable neighborhoods like SoHo in New York to dowdy airports.

From New York Times

“I felt like I was pretending when I was going in and auditioning to play these dowdy people.”

From New York Times

Coupled with a terrific performance by Long Beach Opera that includes more than one star turn, the dowdy Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro became the unlikely locale for a double operatic triumph.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• antiquated
• dingy
• drab
• frumpy
• run down
• shabby
• unkempt