"ditty" meaning in English

See ditty in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /ˈdɪti/ [UK] Audio: en-us-ditty.ogg [US], En-uk-ditty.ogg [UK] Forms: ditties [plural]
Rhymes: -ɪti Etymology: From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|dite}} Middle English dite, {{m|enm|ditee}} ditee, {{der|en|fro|ditie}} Old French ditie, {{m|fro|dité}} dité, {{m|fro|ditier}} ditier, {{der|en|la|dictāre}} Latin dictāre, {{m|en|dictatus}} dictatus Head templates: {{en-noun}} ditty (plural ditties)
  1. A short, simple verse or song. Categories (topical): Music Translations (a short verse or tune): 小曲 (xiǎoqǔ) (Chinese Mandarin), popěvek [masculine] (Czech), rýmovačka [feminine] (Czech), kanteto (Esperanto), chansonnette (French), Ständchen [neuter] (German), ruriruri (Maori), pao (Maori), hakirara (Maori), пе́сенка (pésenka) [feminine] (Russian), моти́в (motív) [masculine] (Russian), cancioneta [feminine] (Spanish), trudelutt [common-gender] (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-ditty-en-noun-KAOPePjH Disambiguation of Music: 42 20 38 Disambiguation of 'a short verse or tune': 83 17
  2. A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated. Categories (topical): Music, Talking
    Sense id: en-ditty-en-noun-ugVdwsI6 Disambiguation of Music: 42 20 38 Disambiguation of Talking: 21 49 30 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 11 59 30

Verb

IPA: /ˈdɪti/ [UK] Audio: en-us-ditty.ogg [US], En-uk-ditty.ogg [UK] Forms: ditties [present, singular, third-person], dittying [participle, present], dittied [participle, past], dittied [past]
Rhymes: -ɪti Etymology: From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus). Etymology templates: {{inh|en|enm|dite}} Middle English dite, {{m|enm|ditee}} ditee, {{der|en|fro|ditie}} Old French ditie, {{m|fro|dité}} dité, {{m|fro|ditier}} ditier, {{der|en|la|dictāre}} Latin dictāre, {{m|en|dictatus}} dictatus Head templates: {{en-verb}} ditty (third-person singular simple present ditties, present participle dittying, simple past and past participle dittied)
  1. To sing; to warble a little tune. Categories (topical): Music Related terms: ditty bag, ditty box, doggerel, jingle
    Sense id: en-ditty-en-verb-VeckmWe3 Disambiguation of Music: 42 20 38

Inflected forms

Download JSON data for ditty meaning in English (6.8kB)

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dite"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dite",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ditee"
      },
      "expansion": "ditee",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "ditie"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French ditie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "dité"
      },
      "expansion": "dité",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "ditier"
      },
      "expansion": "ditier",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "dictāre"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin dictāre",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dictatus"
      },
      "expansion": "dictatus",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "ditties",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "ditty (plural ditties)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "42 20 38",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The Acme mattress ditty has been stuck in my head all day.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A short, simple verse or song."
      ],
      "id": "en-ditty-en-noun-KAOPePjH",
      "links": [
        [
          "verse",
          "verse"
        ],
        [
          "song",
          "song"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "xiǎoqǔ",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "小曲"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "popěvek"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "rýmovačka"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "kanteto"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "chansonnette"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Ständchen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "ruriruri"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "pao"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "mi",
          "lang": "Maori",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "word": "hakirara"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "pésenka",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "пе́сенка"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "motív",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "моти́в"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "cancioneta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "83 17",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "a short verse or tune",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "trudelutt"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "11 59 30",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "42 20 38",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 49 30",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Talking",
          "orig": "en:Talking",
          "parents": [
            "Human behaviour",
            "Language",
            "Human",
            "Communication",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated."
      ],
      "id": "en-ditty-en-noun-ugVdwsI6",
      "links": [
        [
          "saying",
          "saying"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "diddy (US)"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪti"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg/En-us-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg/En-uk-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (UK)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "ditty"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dite"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dite",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ditee"
      },
      "expansion": "ditee",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "ditie"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French ditie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "dité"
      },
      "expansion": "dité",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "ditier"
      },
      "expansion": "ditier",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "dictāre"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin dictāre",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dictatus"
      },
      "expansion": "dictatus",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "ditties",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittying",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittied",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittied",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "ditty (third-person singular simple present ditties, present participle dittying, simple past and past participle dittied)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "42 20 38",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [
            "Art",
            "Sound",
            "Culture",
            "Energy",
            "Society",
            "Nature",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To sing; to warble a little tune."
      ],
      "id": "en-ditty-en-verb-VeckmWe3",
      "links": [
        [
          "sing",
          "sing"
        ],
        [
          "warble",
          "warble"
        ],
        [
          "tune",
          "tune"
        ]
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "ditty bag"
        },
        {
          "word": "ditty box"
        },
        {
          "word": "doggerel"
        },
        {
          "word": "jingle"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "diddy (US)"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪti"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg/En-us-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg/En-uk-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (UK)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "ditty"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old French",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪti",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪti/2 syllables",
    "en:Music",
    "en:Talking"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
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      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dite"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dite",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ditee"
      },
      "expansion": "ditee",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "ditie"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French ditie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "dité"
      },
      "expansion": "dité",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "ditier"
      },
      "expansion": "ditier",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "dictāre"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin dictāre",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dictatus"
      },
      "expansion": "dictatus",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "ditties",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "ditty (plural ditties)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The Acme mattress ditty has been stuck in my head all day.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A short, simple verse or song."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "verse",
          "verse"
        ],
        [
          "song",
          "song"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "saying",
          "saying"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "diddy (US)"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪti"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg/En-us-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg/En-uk-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (UK)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "xiǎoqǔ",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "小曲"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "popěvek"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "rýmovačka"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "kanteto"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "chansonnette"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Ständchen"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "ruriruri"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "pao"
    },
    {
      "code": "mi",
      "lang": "Maori",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "word": "hakirara"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "pésenka",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "пе́сенка"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "motív",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "моти́в"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "cancioneta"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "a short verse or tune",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "trudelutt"
    }
  ],
  "word": "ditty"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Middle English",
    "English terms derived from Old French",
    "English terms inherited from Middle English",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪti",
    "Rhymes:English/ɪti/2 syllables",
    "en:Music",
    "en:Talking"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "dite"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English dite",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ditee"
      },
      "expansion": "ditee",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "ditie"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French ditie",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "dité"
      },
      "expansion": "dité",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "fro",
        "2": "ditier"
      },
      "expansion": "ditier",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "dictāre"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin dictāre",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "dictatus"
      },
      "expansion": "dictatus",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "ditties",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittying",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittied",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "dittied",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "ditty (third-person singular simple present ditties, present participle dittying, simple past and past participle dittied)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "ditty bag"
    },
    {
      "word": "ditty box"
    },
    {
      "word": "doggerel"
    },
    {
      "word": "jingle"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To sing; to warble a little tune."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "sing",
          "sing"
        ],
        [
          "warble",
          "warble"
        ],
        [
          "tune",
          "tune"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdɪti/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "homophone": "diddy (US)"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɪti"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg/En-us-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/En-us-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (US)"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg/En-uk-ditty.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/En-uk-ditty.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (UK)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "ditty"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-03 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.