doily

or doy·ley

[ doi-lee ]

/ ˈdɔɪ li /

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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.

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Origin of doily

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

Words nearby doily

Doha, DOHC, Döhle body, Dohnányi, doiled, doily, do in, doing, doings, Doisy, doit

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use doily in a sentence

The resulting bread was tangy and chewy, with crisp doily skirt edges from the melted cheese.
Remy From ‘Ratatouille’ Taught Me to Never Settle for Boring Bread|Dayna Evans|September 30, 2021|Eater
That explains the assertive bearing of the women in the “Sitting” series, in which the doilies become chairs, perhaps in an executive suite.
In the galleries: Exploring how body language is a visual form of communication|Mark Jenkins|June 11, 2021|Washington Post
Never a public or private showoff, doilies and framed photos of deceased relatives were her notion of decor.
A modest rebel: The paradoxical personality of Eleanor Roosevelt|Douglas Brinkley|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
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

All wear white gloves, have doily-adorned seats, and accept American Express.
Gal With a Suitcase|Jolie Hunt|November 27, 2009|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
Remove the glass and doily; put it in front of your plate a little to the right.
The Complete Bachelor|Walter Germain
If fruit is the first course, there should be at each place a fruit-plate with a doily, finger-bowl, and fruit-knife on it.
The Expert Maid-Servant|Cristine Terhune Herrick
All such receptacles are placed on a small plate either with or without a paper doily of the right size.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 4|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Place a lace paper doily on the plate, stand the glass on this and lay a pink rose on the plate.
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

Origin of doily

Words nearby doily

Words related to doily

How to use doily in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for doily

doyley or doyly

Word Origin for doily