doily

or doy·ley

[ doi-lee ]

/ ˈdɔɪ li /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR doily ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural doi·lies.

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

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

Words nearby doily

doha, dohc, dohnányi, doi, doiled, doily, doing, doings, doisy, doit, doited

Origin of doily

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for doily

Somebody has to draw the line, and if it takes a 90-pound Jewish grandmother bedecked in a doily to do it, so be it.
Justice Ginsburg Shouldn’t Quit Just Yet|Kevin Bleyer|December 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She had arranged the jelly in a dainty dish, and now ran into the dining-room for a doily, which she wrapped about it.
Those Dale Girls|Frank Weston Carruth
The doily should be folded in four, and the letter out-lined in lead pencil in the corner of one of the quarters.
St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, Vol. 5, Nov 1877-Nov 1878|Various
The guest himself will remove the bowl and doily and silver before the dessert is passed.
Foods and Household Management|Helen Kinne

Put one doily for each person, Brownie, and a large one in the middle for the fern dish, and little ones for the tumblers.
The Fun of Cooking|Caroline French Benton
Cut the cake into squares and pass in silver basket or handsome plate with doily.
Suppers|Paul Pierce

British Dictionary definitions for doily

doily

doyley or doyly

/ (ˈdɔɪlɪ) /

noun plural -lies or -leys

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

Word Origin for doily

C18: named after Doily, a London draper

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

doily

or doy·ley

noun, plural doi·lies.

Words related to doily

Words nearby doily

Origin of doily

Examples from the Web for doily

British Dictionary definitions for doily

doyley or doyly

noun plural -lies or -leys

Word Origin for doily