English word origin

Etymology of doxy

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 F

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A sweetheart, a prostitute, a mistress or kept woman.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mention*doketjedum
Derivation mentiondockedum · a doll
Derivation mention*dokkogem-pro · something round
Cognate mentiondokkends · doll
Cognate mentiondokstq
Cognate mentiondockasv · doll, puppet

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dum",
        "3": "*doketje"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch *doketje"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dum",
        "3": "docke",
        "t": "a doll"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle Dutch docke (“a doll”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*dokko",
        "t": "something round"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *dokko (“something round”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nds",
        "2": "dokke",
        "t": "doll"
      },
      "expansion": "Low German dokke (“doll”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "stq",
        "2": "dok"
      },
      "expansion": "Saterland Frisian dok"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "sv",
        "2": "docka",
        "t": "doll, puppet"
      },
      "expansion": "Swedish docka (“doll, puppet”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*doketje",
      "Reconstruction:Middle Dutch/doketje"
    ],
    [
      "docke",
      "docke#Middle_Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "*dokko",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/dokko"
    ],
    [
      "*dukkǭ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/dukkǭ"
    ],
    [
      "dokke",
      "dokke#Low_German"
    ],
    [
      "dok",
      "dok#Saterland_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "dokke",
      "dokke#Saterland_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "docka",
      "docka#Swedish"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A sweetheart, a prostitute, a mistress or kept woman."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "recordId": "748cd74d516e67dd1cefa6d2a225dc2ddb96dcf19516a5943582c056e6a8f9fd",
      "rawRecordSha256": "2ce1e69d2fe63d24b2219b5e7e32f00eda58d8a6df075cc95690f2509d9bb786",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 436129
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A defined opinion.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From -doxy in orthodoxy, heterodoxy, etc.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "-doxy",
      "-doxy#English"
    ],
    [
      "orthodoxy",
      "orthodoxy#English"
    ],
    [
      "heterodoxy",
      "heterodoxy#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A defined opinion."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "recordId": "efed3d91f07d521a20968e85bceafc12bc39bcae1011346854062f67762ca230",
      "rawRecordSha256": "1dfd898ec02033a07c6efad7b4a8b2d26b3f0e1307ef7fb2e96939c810c6f4fb",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 436130
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗

noun

Clipping of doxycycline.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping. From deoxy-.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "deoxy-",
      "deoxy-#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Clipping of doxycycline."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "clipping",
        "informal",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "0f36b7000c542c6f7a21a25c8158014cada1737013c492a9aa572676c4ebb983",
      "rawRecordSha256": "ddb3524d110799f1ba66dbf68a85812c7b13bf3687ece4c5be3526372c64b270",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 436131
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

A dachshund.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of dachshund + -y.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Word-formation componentdachshunden
Word-formation component-yen

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of"
    },
    {
      "name": "af",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dachshund",
        "3": "-y"
      },
      "expansion": "dachshund + -y"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "dachshund",
      "dachshund#English"
    ],
    [
      "-y",
      "-y#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A dachshund."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "14170cf4dce71cbdcbfda442b2719246380df02b0360d2ffea9bde03b710bcbd",
      "rawRecordSha256": "bf1154a8237811ee611602ed244af16da3a35698377b38af7568ccb819e2811c",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 436132
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗

noun

An aggressive creature similar to a fairy.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

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.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "Etymology 1",
      "#Etymology 1"
    ],
    [
      "Etymology 3",
      "#Etymology 3"
    ],
    [
      "pixie",
      "pixie#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "An aggressive creature similar to a fairy."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "d7eb9897ca2add96a322fe54756500639dc12e88295c05bc9bd5044a32bced24",
      "rawRecordSha256": "239aca1bcc7af8ed88038e24eb8256da0e0c04208378ff84250828ddb7ae8651",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 436133
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for doxy →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-ZG94eQ