dowdy

¹

[dou-dee]

adjective

dowdier, dowdiest 

1. not stylish; drab; old-fashioned.

   Why do you always wear those dowdy old dresses?

   Synonyms: frumpy
   Antonyms: stylish, fashionable

2. not neat or tidy; shabby.

noun

plural

dowdies 

1. a dowdy woman.

dowdy

²

[dou-dee]

noun

plural

dowdies 

1. a shortened form of pandowdy.

dowdy

/ ˈdaʊdɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of a woman's dress) drab, unflattering, and old-fashioned

noun

1. a dowdy woman

Other Word Forms

• dowdily adverb
• dowdiness noun
• dowdyish adjective
• dowdyism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowdy¹

1300–50; Middle English doude unattractive woman (of uncertain origin) + -y ¹ or -y ²

Origin of dowdy²

First recorded in 1935–40; short form

Word History and Origins

Origin of dowdy¹

C14: dowd slut, of unknown origin

Example Sentences

She wore dowdy skirts with equally drab cardigans.

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Unthinkable as it seems, Edna was dowdy then, given to mousy brown hair and pillbox hats.

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It opened hundreds of stores, from fashionable neighborhoods like SoHo in New York to dowdy airports.

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“I felt like I was pretending when I was going in and auditioning to play these dowdy people.”

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Coupled with a terrific performance by Long Beach Opera that includes more than one star turn, the dowdy Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro became the unlikely locale for a double operatic triumph.

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Related Words

• antiquated 
• dingy 
• drab 
• frumpy 
• run down 
• shabby 
• unkempt