dote
[ doht ]
/ doʊt /
verb (used without object), dot·ed, dot·ing. Also doat.
to bestow or express excessive love or fondness habitually (usually followed by on or upon): They dote on their youngest daughter.
to show a decline of mental faculties, especially associated with old age.
noun
decay of wood.
Nearby words
Origin of dote
1175–1225; Middle English doten to behave foolishly, become feeble-minded; cognate with Middle Dutch doten.
Related formsdot·er, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for dote
British Dictionary definitions for dote
dote
now rarely doat
/ (dəʊt) /
verb (intr)
(foll by on or upon) to love to an excessive or foolish degree
to be foolish or weak-minded, esp as a result of old age
Derived Formsdoter or now rarely doater, noun
Word Origin for dote
C13: related to Middle Dutch doten to be silly, Norwegian dudra to shake
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for dote
dote
c.1200, "to be feeble-minded from age," from Middle Low German doten "be foolish," of unknown origin. Meaning "to be infatuated" is from late 15c. Related: Doted; dotes; doting.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper