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• dickey
  dickey

  noun

  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.
• Dickey
  Dickey

  noun

  James, 1923–97, U.S. poet and novelist.

dickey

¹ American  

[dik-ee] / ˈdɪk i /

Or dicky,

noun

plural

dickeys

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.

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.

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dickey ² American  

[dik-ee] / ˈdɪk i /

adjective

Chiefly British Slang.

1. not working properly; faulty.

   I'm fed up with this dickey air conditioner.

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Dickey ³ American  

[dik-ee] / ˈdɪk i /

noun

1. James, 1923–97, U.S. poet and novelist.

2. William Bill, 1907–93, U.S. baseball player.

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Etymology

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

“We’re seeing an increase in hardship in general,” said Kelsa Dickey, a Phoenix-based money coach.

From MarketWatch • May 1, 2026

But McGuire had kept tabs on Crockett, and snapped Dickey right up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

His flinty 2022 debut “A Love Song” was drenched in melancholy, casting Dale Dickey and Wes Studi as aging childhood friends reunited, a tentative romance faintly sparking.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025

His main competition was the incumbent sheriff, a man named James Dickey, who died five days before the election in a car crash.

From Slate • Nov. 6, 2025

Dickey, who was himself a Georgian and knew the area well, swore that his book was a faithful description.

From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson