dory
1 Americannoun
plural
doriesnoun
plural
doriesnoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of dory1
First recorded in 1700–10, alleged to be from Miskito dóri, dúri (if this word is itself not from English )
Origin of dory2
1400–50; late Middle English dorre, dorray < Middle French doree (feminine past participle of dorer to gild) < Late Latin deaurāta; dorado
Explanation
A dory is a large, flat-bodied fish with silver scales and big eyes. Most dories are found in the deepest waters of the ocean. The term dory includes fish from several different families. One thing they all have in common is their silvery color, which explains their name, rooted in the Middle French doree or "gilded one." Another kind of dory is a small, light fishing boat. A dory typically has a flat bottom and wide planks on its sides, and is designed to carry a large, heavy load, especially considering its small size.
Vocabulary lists containing dory
The Boys in the Boat
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Peter and the Starcatchers
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Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Everybody thought we were lying - this place was all hunky dory.
From BBC • Jun. 4, 2025
You can’t build community trust when everything’s hunky dory.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2023
Ms. Lang noted: “It’s not like everything will be hunky dory on April 1.”
From New York Times • Feb. 28, 2022
While everything has seemed hunky dory so far for England, Denmark have been powered partly by the strength drawn from their traumatic start to the tournament.
From The Guardian • Jul. 7, 2021
“It won’t make a bit of difference,” he said to Mr. Eason, rowing across in the dory.
From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
