# dotterel

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈdɒtɹəl/

## Definitions
1. A gullible fool, especially an elderly person with impaired faculties.
2. A small brown-and-black bird of species Charadrius morinellus, of the plover family.
3. Any of various small birds of Australasia thought to resemble the Eurasian dotterel.

## Etymology
15th century. From dote (“to be foolish; senile”) + -rel (“pejorative suffix”). The bird is so named as it is easy to catch.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dotterel