ditty

plural ditties

1. A short, simple verse or song.

   religious, martial, or civil ditties

   [1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC

   2 more examples

   And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.

   1636, G[eorge] S[andys], “(please specify the page)”, in A Paraphrase upon the Psalmes of David. And upon the Hymnes Dispersed throughout the Old and New Testaments, London: [Andrew Hebb […]], →OCLC

   This fine effort didn't just fall through a crack, it never got out the starting gate. Despite thoughtful ditties like the up-tempo, stomping "People (We Need a Change)," "Uncle James," which first appeared on New York City's debut album, "Circles," and "Love (I Guess That's the Fool in Me)."

   1976, Andrew Hamilton, “Circles Review”, in allmusic.com, archived from the original on 04 May 2026, people

2. A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated.

   O, too high ditty for my simple rime.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 50

3. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of ditty bag.

present singular third person ditties · participle present dittying · participle past dittied · past dittied

1. archaicintransitiveobsoleteTo sing; to warble a little tune.

   Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.

   [1633], George Herbert, edited by [Nicholas Ferrar], The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel; and are to be sold by Francis Green, […], →OCLC