doily
or doy·ley
[ doi-lee ]
/ ˈdɔɪ li /
noun, plural doi·lies.
any small, ornamental mat, as of embroidery or lace.
Archaic. a small napkin, as one used during a dessert course.
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of doily
First recorded in 1670–80; named after a London draper of the late 17th century
Words nearby doily
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for doily
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
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