donkey
UK /ˈdɒŋ.ki/ · US /ˈdɑŋ.ki/ noun
Forms donkeys donkies donky
- noun A domestic animal, Equus asinus asinus, similar to a horse.
- noun A stubborn person.
- noun A fool.
- noun (nautical) A small auxiliary engine.
- noun (naval slang, dated) A box or chest, especially a toolbox.
- noun (poker slang) A bad poker player.
- noun (UK, nautical) A sailor's storage chest.
Synonyms
Jerusalem pony bulldog mule alcatote asshat arsehole asshole bayard berk birdbrain blither bobchin bonehead bozo buffoon brickhead Charlie chucklehead chowderhead chump domestic ass Equus asinus
Etymology
The origin is uncertain. Originally a slang term from the late eighteenth century. Perhaps from Middle English *donekie (“a miniature dun horse”), a double diminutive of Middle English don, dun, dunne (a name for a dun horse), equivalent to modern English dun (“brownish grey colour”) + -ock (diminutive suffix) + -ie (diminutive suffix), or similarly formed from the given name Duncan. Compare Middle English donning (“a dun horse”), English dunnock. Became more common than the original term ass due to the latter's homophony and partial merger with arse (compare similar development between coney and rabbit).
Webster’s 1913
- noun An ass; or (less frequently) a mule.
- noun A stupid or obstinate fellow; an ass. Donkey engine, a small auxiliary engine not used for propelling, but for pumping water into the boilers, raising heavy weights, and like purposes.
Etymology [Prob. dun, in allusion to the color of the animal + a dim. termination.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “donkey”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details