dunny

English

Etymology 1

From dun (“dusky brown”) +‎ -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dʌni/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌni

Adjective

dunny (comparative dunnier, superlative dunniest)

1. Somewhat dun, dusky brownish.
   • c. 1517 (date written; published c. 1545), John Skelton, “Here after Foloweth the Booke Called Elynour Rummynge. The Tunnyng of Elynour Rummyng per Skelton Laureat.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, →OCLC, page 108, lines 399–400:

     I were skynnes of conny, / That causeth I loke so donny.

     I wear skins of cony [rabbit], / That cause me to look so dunny.

Etymology 2

Probably from dun (“to ring”) +‎ -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).

Adjective

dunny (comparative dunnier, superlative dunniest)

1. (UK dialect) Somewhat deaf, hard of hearing.
   • 1708, J. Kersey, Dictionary Anglo-Britannicum:

     Dunny, somewhat deaf, deafish.

2. (UK dialect, derogatory, euphemistic) Slow to answer: stupid, unintelligent.
   • a. 1791, F. Grose, Olio, p. 105:

     What the devil are you dunny? won't you give me no answer?

Derived terms

• dunnily
• dunniness

Noun

dunny (plural dunnies)

1. (UK dialect, derogatory euphemistic, obsolete) A dummy, an unintelligent person.
   • 1709, British Apollo, Vol. II, No. 29, p. 3:

     Should a School-boy do so, he'd be whip'd for a Dunny.

Etymology 3

A dunny (outhouse) in Wolcha, New South Wales, Australia

A clipped form of English cant dunnakin (“outhouse”) + -y (suffix forming affectionate diminutives). Dunnakin, dunnekin, etc. are of uncertain etymology, but probably from some form of English cant danna (“dung”) + ken (“house”, pejorative slang). The Scottish and North English senses may derive from Etymology 4 below, either under influence from English cant or as its original source.

Noun

dunny (plural dunnies)

1. (UK slang, obsolete) Alternative form of danna: shit. [From 1859.]
2. (Australia and New Zealand slang, also dated Scotland and Northern England) An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory. [From 1933.]
   • 2008, Judith L. McNeil, No One's Child‎^[1], page 95:

     There was one leaning dunny down the back and, if you stayed very quiet, on a very still day you could hear the white ants as they chewed the wood.The bottom boards were already eaten through, and I avoided using the dunny at all costs.

   • 2010, Christopher Milne, “The Boy Who Lived in a Dunny”, in The Day Our Teacher Went Mad and Other Naughty Stories for Good Boys and Girls, page 108:

     ‘Until you wake up to yourself, you can live in the old dunny for all I care.’
     ‘All right, I will,’ said Tony.

3. (Australia and New Zealand slang) Any other place or fixture used for urination and defecation: a latrine; a lavatory; a toilet.
   • 2010, Kathleen M. McGinley, Out of the Daydream‎^[2], page 47:

     The dunny was another place to go to get out of class. You got to go there by raising your hand in class and asking Miss if you could go to the lav.

4. (Scotland, Northern England, slang, dated) A passageway, particularly those connecting an outhouse to the main building.

Alternative forms

• danna, dunnee (obsolete)

Synonyms

• (outhouse): See Thesaurus:bathroom
• (toilet): See Thesaurus:toilet

Derived terms

• bang like a dunny door
• bang like a dunny door in a gale
• dunny budgie
• dunny can
• dunny cart
• dunny man
• dunny roll

Etymology 4

A clipped form of English dungeon + -y (“forming affectionate diminutives”).

Noun

dunny (plural dunnies)

1. (Scotland, Northern England, slang, dated) A cellar, basement, or underground passage.