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ditty

 - 3 dictionary results

dit⋅ty

[dit-ee] noun, plural -ties, verb, -tied, -ty⋅ing.
–noun
1. a poem intended to be sung.
2. a short, simple song.
–verb (used without object)
3. Obsolete. to sing.
–verb (used with object)
4. Obsolete. to set to or celebrate in music.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME dite < AF, OF dit(i)e poem, n. use of ptp. of ditier to compose < L dictāre; see dictate
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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dit·ty   (dĭt'ē)   
n.   pl. dit·ties
A simple song.

[Middle English dite, a literary composition, from Old French dite, from Latin dictātum, thing dictated, from neuter past participle of dictāre, to dictate, frequentative of dīcere, to say; see deik- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

ditty 
c.1300, from O.Fr. ditie "composition, poem, treatise," from L. dictatum "thing dictated," neut. pp. of dictare "dictate." Ditty bag is 1850s nautical slang, perhaps from Brit. naval phrase commodity bag.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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