doily

American  

[doi-lee] / ˈdɔɪ li /

Or doyley

noun

doilies plural

1. any small, ornamental mat, as of embroidery or lace.

2. Archaic. a small napkin, as one used during a dessert course.

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doily British  

/ ˈdɔɪlɪ /

noun

1. a decorative mat of lace or lacelike paper, etc, laid on or under plates

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• doilies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of doily

First recorded in 1670–80; named after a London draper of the late 17th century

Explanation

A doily is a decorative piece of cloth or paper that's used on a fancy table, often under a bowl. If your mom's birthday breakfast spread doesn't look festive enough, you can dress it up with some doilies. Some doilies are made of lace, while paper doilies are patterned and cut to resemble lace. You might see a doily underneath a cake, or separating a cup of fruit from the saucer beneath it. The word doily comes from Doiley, the last name of a well-known London dry goods dealer in the 17th century. Originally, the word was an adjective describing suits or fabric, and later, from doily-napkin came the doily we know today.

Related Words

• cloth
• towel