donkey
Americannoun
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donkeys
plural
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the domestic ass, Equus asinus.
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(since 1874) a representation of this animal as the emblem of the U.S. Democratic Party.
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a stupid, silly, or obstinate person.
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a woodworking apparatus consisting of a clamping frame and saw, used for cutting marquetry veneers.
adjective
noun
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Also called: ass. a long-eared domesticated member of the horse family ( Equidae ), descended from the African wild ass ( Equus asinus )
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a stupid or stubborn person
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slang a footballer known for his or her lack of skill
the players are a bunch of overpriced and overrated donkeys
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to talk endlessly
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of donkey
First recorded in 1775–85; of uncertain origin; perhaps alteration of Dunkey, diminutive name or pet form of Duncan, man's name; perhaps a derivative of dun “dull, grayish brown”
Explanation
A donkey is a four-legged domesticated farm animal with hooves that's related to the horse. Donkeys are known for the braying sound they make and their long ears. Farmers often keep donkeys for pulling carts, carrying heavy loads, or even for guarding flocks of sheep. In some places, donkeys are ridden like horses or kept as calming companions for nervous horses. The word donkey was first used as slang for the animal then only called an ass. It was probably modeled after monkey, with which it originally rhymed, from dun, or "a grayish brown color."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
As Al-Louh spoke, a donkey cart with three elderly women and two elderly men as passengers came into view.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026
Her devotion to animals led to her setting up a section of of her website, the Widdyweb, for the pet cats she has lived with, adopting goats and becoming the patron of a donkey sanctuary.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
"If you give your money to a donkey sanctuary, that money cannot instead be used for a domestic violence shelter," Lam says.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
It took 20 days to reach Obeid, mostly by foot but also by hitching rides on the occasional donkey cart or livestock truck.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026
As if to accentuate their cackles, the donkey let out two lungs full of vociferous braying.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
His herd of donkeys are on the beach at Barmouth at the Easter, Whitsun and summer holidays and every weekend up to the end of September, and have been for the past 40 years.
From BBC ● May 16, 2026
"I started with two donkeys and it was very obvious over that Easter period that it was something people were really interested in," she said.
From BBC ● May 16, 2026
Stephen has 11 donkeys, with six on the beach at any one time, and they work from 11:00-15:45 on days with the right weather.
From BBC ● May 16, 2026
Over the last week, the San Diego Humane Society has removed 446 cats, 30 dogs and dozens of other animals, including goats, alpacas, pigs, ducks, donkeys, geese and chickens from the property in Julian.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2026
It's not hard to spot him because he's like a unicorn among donkeys.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
