cubby

[ kuhb-ee ]

/ ˈkʌb i /

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noun, plural cub·bies.

any of a group of small boxlike enclosures or compartments, open at the front, in which children can keep their belongings, as at a nursery school.

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Origin of cubby

1835–45; dial. cub stall, shed (akin to cove¹) + -y²

Words nearby cubby

Cuban royal palm, Cuban sandwich, cubature, Cubba, Cubbena, cubby, cubbyhole, cube, cubeb, cube farm, cube root

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use cubby in a sentence

There is also a built-in cubby above the desk that I found useful for storing cables, headphones, and other odds and ends.
Tested: Airstream’s New Remote-Work Trailer|mlarsen|August 5, 2021|Outside Online
They were building little dams, and they were building huts and cubbies.
The elements that make a perfect playground|Lauren Leffer|July 21, 2021|Popular-Science
A simple side shelf or cubby can make a big difference when trying to manage your mess.
Best computer monitor stand: One trusty product to support every screen in your home office|Irena Collaku|July 13, 2021|Popular-Science
Flats and sandals may easily slide into a cubby or over-the-door pocket, and your fancy, expensive heels may be happier perched at the top of a tower unit, where they can’t get damaged or accidentally walked on.
Best shoe rack: Behold these versatile shoe storage options|PopSci Commerce Team|March 17, 2021|Popular-Science

It has a shelf at the bottom for shoes, removable hooks on the sides, and drawers, open cubbies and doors that conceal additional shelves.
No mudroom, no problem: Solutions for a functional and beautiful home entry|Mari-Jane Williams|January 14, 2021|Washington Post
The cubby and the 460 bottles of wine, valued at $8,339.50 will remain at Cricova to be displayed.
Meditation Rugs, Swords, and Horse Head Fiddles: The Strangest Gifts Given to Government Bigwigs|Ben Jacobs|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is unclear if Kerry will be able to grab a bottle or two from the cubby the next time he passes through Moldova.
Meditation Rugs, Swords, and Horse Head Fiddles: The Strangest Gifts Given to Government Bigwigs|Ben Jacobs|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Only later in life did I confront the obvious question: did the Nixon goons break into my cubby and steal my notes?
George McGovern & Me|Mark Katz|October 21, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The next day, Psaki wrote: “I am putting some dead fish in the fox cubby – just cause.”
White House Targeted Fox News|Howard Kurtz|July 14, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The duke's room was pretty small, but plenty good enough, and so was my cubby.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
I groped along up to my cubby, and hid it there till I could get a chance to do better.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Complete|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
There was the cubby, the wood all carefully painted in white enamel, the portable shelves made of sheets of heavy glass.
Three Little Women|Gabrielle E. Jackson
When dinner was over, papa was enticed up to see the cubby-house, while the aunts took their nap.
Betty Leicester|Sarah Orne Jewett
The commodore and Clarence no doubt still believed Bob to be shut up in a cute little cubby-hole with bars.
Nothing But the Truth|Frederic S. Isham

British Dictionary definitions for cubby (1 of 2)

cubby¹

/ (ˈkʌbɪ) /

noun plural -bies

Australian a small room or enclosed area, esp one used as a child's play area

British Dictionary definitions for cubby (2 of 2)

cubby²

/ (ˈkʌbɪ) /

adjective

Midland English dialect short and plump; squat

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012