Library / English Dictionary

DOWDY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

Irregular inflected forms: dowdier    , dowdiest   

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Deep-dish apple dessert covered with a rich crust

Synonyms:

dowdy; pandowdy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Hypernyms ("dowdy" is a kind of...):

pastry (any of various baked foods made of dough or batter)

Sense 2

Meaning:

British marshal of the RAF who commanded the British air defense forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (1882-1970)

Synonyms:

Baron Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding; Dowding; Dowdy; Hugh Dowding

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Instance hypernyms:

full general; general (a general officer of the highest rank)

marshal; marshall ((in some countries) a military officer of highest rank)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Primly out of date

Example:

nothing so frumpish as last year's gambling game

Synonyms:

dowdy; frumpish; frumpy

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

unfashionable; unstylish (not in accord with or not following current fashion)

Derivation:

dowdiness (having a drab or dowdy quality; lacking stylishness or elegance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lacking in smartness or taste

Example:

a clean and sunny but completely dowdy room

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

styleless; unstylish (lacking in style or elegance)

Derivation:

dowdiness (having a drab or dowdy quality; lacking stylishness or elegance)

Credits