Etymology

doxy

D2O1X8Y4

Today it means: A sweetheart, a prostitute, a mistress or kept woman. Full definition →

Middle Dutch *doketje ← Proto-Germanic *dokko
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doxy · noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*dokko“something round”
  2. Middle Dutch · derived fromdocke“a doll”
  3. Middle Dutch · borrowed from*doketje
  4. English todaydoxy

Perhaps from Middle Dutch *doketje, diminutive of Middle Dutch docke (“a doll”), from Proto-Germanic *dokko (“something round”), related to *dukkǭ (“muscle, strength”). Cognate with Low German dokke (“doll”), Saterland Frisian dok, dokke (“a doll”), Swedish docka (“doll, puppet”).

doxy · noun2

From -doxy in orthodoxy, heterodoxy, etc.

doxy · noun3

Clipping. From deoxy-.

doxy · noun4

Clipping of dachshund + -y.

doxy · noun5

Coined by J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series as the name of a species of biting fairy, possibly originally from Etymology 1 or from Etymology 3 (doxycycline is used to treat various diseases caused by insect bites). Likely influenced by pixie.

Words from the same roots

Middle Dutchdocke all →

dock

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.