dory
1 Americannoun
plural
doriesnoun
plural
doriesnoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of dory1
First recorded in 1700–10, alleged to be from Miskito dóri, dúri (if this word is itself not from English )
Origin of dory2
1400–50; late Middle English dorre, dorray < Middle French doree (feminine past participle of dorer to gild) < Late Latin deaurāta; see dorado
Explanation
A dory is a large, flat-bodied fish with silver scales and big eyes. Most dories are found in the deepest waters of the ocean. The term dory includes fish from several different families. One thing they all have in common is their silvery color, which explains their name, rooted in the Middle French doree or "gilded one." Another kind of dory is a small, light fishing boat. A dory typically has a flat bottom and wide planks on its sides, and is designed to carry a large, heavy load, especially considering its small size.
Vocabulary lists containing dory
The Boys in the Boat
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Peter and the Starcatchers
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Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
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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.
“We’re still on track to have double-digit earnings growth this year. The market is resilient,” says Dory Wiley, president and CEO of Commerce Street Holdings in Dallas.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
"There was an extent to which it felt like Jewish friends were more likely to understand," says Ben Dory, 33, who lives in London.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025
"They are throwing fire," said Dory Farah, a farmer in the border village of Alma Alashaab.
From Reuters • Nov. 2, 2023
Dory is retired now, having traded dawn beach patrols for family life in Fort Lauderdale, Peruyero says.
From National Geographic • Sep. 13, 2023
She went to bed; "baby" was found all right, laughing "fit to break its yitty hearty party, at naughty Nora Dory," as Mrs. Triangle very naturally expressed it.
From The Humors of Falconbridge A Collection of Humorous and Every Day Scenes by Falconbridge
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.
