doxy
/ˈdɒksi/ noun
Forms doxies doxie
- noun (archaic, Thieves' Cant) A sweetheart, a prostitute, a mistress or kept woman.
- noun (colloquial) A defined opinion.
- noun (informal) A dachshund.
- noun (fantasy) An aggressive creature similar to a fairy.
Synonyms
Etymology
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”).
From -doxy in orthodoxy, heterodoxy, etc.
Clipping of dachshund + -y.
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.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A loose wench; a disreputable sweetheart. Shak.
Etymology [See Duck a pet.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “doxy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details