doughty

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈdaʊti/ (UK); /ˈdaʊti/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English doughti, earlier duhti,^[2][3] inherited from Old English dohtiġ (“competent, valiant”),^{[4][2][3][5][6]} an alteration, influenced by dohte, past tense of dugan “to be fit, be worthy”, of earlier dyhtiġ “strong”.^[2][3][6] It goes back to Proto-Germanic *duhtiz-,^[2][3] and is cognate with Middle Dutch duchtich and German tüchtig “capable, efficient”.^[2][3][6] The ultimate source is a PIE root meaning “to be fit, be of use”, which also gave Greek teukhein “to make ready” and German Tugend “virtue”.^[4][3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of persons, able, worthy, valiant (1030);^[7][2] of actions and other things, before 1000.^[7] The form dyhtig appears about 725, in Beowulf.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The early meanings were “capable, worthy, virtuous” as well as “brave”.^[7][6] The word grew rare after the 17th century, and since about 1800 it has been used in a deliberately archaic or mock-heroic way, often humorously.^[3][7] Etymonline notes that if it had stayed in living use its modern form would be dighty.^[3]

Timeline

• about 725 – dyhtig, able, strong (Beowulf).^[2]
• 1030 – dohtig, of persons, valiant.^[7][2]
• c. 1420 – as a noun, men of valour (obsolete).^[7]
• c. 1800 – archaic and mock-heroic use.^[3]

Modern meaning

Adjective

1. Marked by stouthearted courage and fearless resolve; valiant.
2. Robust or sturdy.

Word family

• doughtily
• doughtiness

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press