dowdy — lacking in stylishness or elegance; unfashionable and drab in appearance
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: lacking in stylishness or elegance; unfashionable and drab in appearance
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdaʊdi/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother's dowdy floral dress made her look like a walking garden center.
- The fashion makeover transformed her from dowdy to dazzling in just one hour.
- He refused to wear the dowdy uniform, claiming it made him look like a potato sack with legs.
dowdy
ADJECTIVE[/ˈdaʊdi/]
lacking in stylishness or elegance; unfashionable and drab in appearance
Her dowdy sweater and faded skirt made her blend into the wallpaper.
Howdy from the stylish cowboy makes her dowdy look even sadder under cloudy skies!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
First appeared in mid-16th century English, originally as a noun meaning 'a plainly or unfashionably dressed woman.' The word likely derives from 'dowd,' an earlier term for a slovenly woman, though its ultimate origin remains uncertain.
Breakdown
dowd (slovenly woman) + -y (adjective suffix meaning 'having the quality of')
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother's dowdy floral dress made her look like a walking garden center.”
“The fashion makeover transformed her from dowdy to dazzling in just one hour.”
“He refused to wear the dowdy uniform, claiming it made him look like a potato sack with legs.”
“The celebrity looked surprisingly dowdy without her usual team of stylists.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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