Etymology

doll

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Today it means: A small figure resembling a human being that is used as a toy. Full definition →

First used c. 1980?–Middle English doll
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doll · noun, verb1

From Doll, pet form of the given name Dorothy. Etymology 1, noun sense 7 was coined and popularized by American writer Jacqueline Susann in 1966 through her book Valley of the Dolls (1966) and the film adaptation Valley of the Dolls (1967).

doll · noun, verb2

Probably variant of archaic dool (“boundary marker”).

doll · noun3

Clipping of dollar.

doll · verb4

  1. Middle English · inherited fromdoll
  2. English todaydoll

Possibly same as dull (whence Middle English doll).

Doll · proper noun5

* As a south German surname, from toll (“mad, foolish”). * Also as a German surname, spelling variant of Thiel. * As an English surname, from the adjective dull, cognate with the first German derivation. Also compare Dill.

First known use, by meaning

  • c. 1980?– A transgender woman or transfeminine person, in general.
  • c. 1440 To warm moderately; to make tepid; to mull.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.