dong

¹

[ dawng, dong ]

noun

1. a deep sound like that of a large bell.

dong

²

[ dawng, dong ]

noun

, plural dong.

1. the basic monetary unit of Vietnam: replaced the southern piaster and the northern dong in 1978.

dong

³

[ dawng, dong ]

noun

, Slang: Vulgar.

1. penis.

dông

¹

/ dɒŋ /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Vietnam, divided into 10 hào or 100 xu

dong

²

/ dɒŋ /

noun

1. the deep reverberating sound of a large bell
2. informal.
   a heavy blow
3. See penis
   a slang word for penis

verb

1. intr (of a bell) to make a deep reverberating sound
2. informal.
   tr to strike or punch

Word History and Origins

Origin of dong¹

First recorded in 1880–90; imitative; ding-dong

Origin of dong²

First recorded in 1820–25; from Vietnamese đồng “copper”

Origin of dong³

First recorded in 1890–95; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of dong¹

from Vietnamese

Origin of dong²

C16: of imitative origin

Example Sentences

Join us as we explore whether the office is ding-dong dead, a nursing home boom is inevitable or whether Zillow is about to take over the world.

From Ozy

Dong Whi Yoo didn’t know anybody working at Gold Spa or Aromatherapy Spa either, but he’s also come to pay his respects.

From Time

As Dong reports, China had a lukewarm reaction to Disney’s animated Mulan.

From Vox

Dong describes the legend of Mulan as a palimpsest, a story that keeps shifting and reforming over time but always bears the traces of its original forms.

From Vox

After 41 years, Los Angeles Koreatown mainstay Dong Il Jang closed its doors, too.

From Eater

On the southern side of the JSA, there is a village called Daeseong-dong (대성동).

From The Daily Beast

On the northern side of the Joint Security Area between North and South Korea, there is a village called Kijong-dong (기정동).

From The Daily Beast

Director Yoo Dong-hun and screenwriter Lee Jung-u were arrested for firebombing theaters.

From The Daily Beast

I called it “ding-dong diplomacy”; Governor Richardson wisely pointed out that “basketball diplomacy” is better than none.

From The Daily Beast

The Official Charts Company described Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead as "one of the most controversial chart contenders of all time".

From The Daily Beast

No tedious ding-dong daily practice—just 20 brief, entertaining lessons, easily mastered.

From Project Gutenberg

Think of that: cradled innocence and angels' dreams and the whole of the hymn just before ding-dong-bang on noses and jaws!

From Project Gutenberg

Other deep toned bells joined in; they were tolling in solemn concert—ding, dong!

From Project Gutenberg

His voice seemed unusually loud and a trifle off key like the dong of a cracked bell.

From Project Gutenberg

In the old days, under Dong Ling's rule, there had been no gas stove.

From Project Gutenberg