dowdy
/ˈdaʊdi/adjective, noun, verb
dowdy is spelled D-O-W-D-Y: 5 letters and 2 syllables. It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 58,714th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, dowdy means “Plain and unfashionable in style or dress” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in dowdy?
| Letters | 5: D-O-W-D-Y |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 4 million words; the 58,714th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is dowdy?
Dowdy appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 58,714th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce dowdy?
- US /ˈdaʊdi/
Dowdy has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-dowdy.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with dowdy?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as dowdy from its last stressed vowel (/aʊdi/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of dowdy
- dowdier comparative
- dowdiest superlative
- dowdies plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- dowdying participle, present
- dowdied participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does dowdy mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Plain and unfashionable in style or dress.
- 2
Lacking stylishness or neatness; shabby.
noun
- 1
A plain or shabby person.
verb
- 1
To press the crust into the filling during baking, to allow the juices to caramelize on top.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Dowdy in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | vieux jeu |
| German | schäbig, unelegant , abgetragen |
| Spanish | desastrado |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does dowdy come from?
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".
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).