Definition of DOWDY

dowdy

Meanings

Plural: dowdies

Noun

  • British marshal of the RAF who commanded the British air defense forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (1882-1970)
  • deep-dish apple dessert covered with a rich crust
  • A plain or shabby person.

Adjective Satellite

  • lacking in smartness or taste
    • "a dowdy grey outfit"
    • "a clean and sunny but completely dowdy room"
  • primly out of date

Adj

  • Plain and unfashionable in style or dress.
  • Lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby.

Verb

  • To press the crust into the filling during baking, to allow the juices to caramelize on top.

Origin / Etymology

First appears c. 1581. Origin uncertain, probably literally "little poorly dressed woman," formed from doue, "poorly dressed woman". Possibly also related to the Scots dow, meaning to "fade".

Synonyms

Baron Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, Dowding, frumpish, frumpy, Hugh Dowding, pandowdy

Scrabble Score: 13

dowdy is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
dowdy is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
dowdy is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

dowdy is a valid Words With Friends word