dotty

dotty (ˈdɒtɪ)

—*adj* , -tier, -tiest
1.	slang chiefly (Brit) feeble-minded; slightly crazy
2.	slang (Brit) (foll by about) extremely fond (of)
3.	marked with dots

[C19: from dot¹: sense development of 1 from meaning of "unsteady on one's feet"]

'dottily

—*adv*

'dottiness

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

dotty

1812, full of dots, from dot + -y (2). Meaning silly is from c.1400, in dotypolle dotty poll (i.e. dotty head), in which case the first element is from dote (v.).

Example sentences

But when the movie focuses on plot and character, it turns quite dotty in an amiable way.

While their meandering, dotty conversation is endearing and enlightening, following along is an exercise in stamina.

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Related Words

ditsy Dottie

gaga loopy

Matching Quote

"Her personality had an architectonic quality; I think of her when I see some of the great London railway termini, especially St. Pancras, with its soot and turrets, and she overshadowed her own daughters, whom she did not understand—my mother, who liked things to be nice; my dotty aunt. But my mother had not the strength to put even some physical distance between them, let alone keep the old monster at emotional arm's length."

-Angela Carter

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