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Doughty

[DOW-tee]

Part of speech: adjective

Origin: Middle English, pre-12th century

1.

Brave and persistent.

2.

Displaying courage.

Examples of Doughty in a sentence

"The doughty knights of old were known for their courageous actions."

"Even though he was young, he still showed that he was doughty and loyal in the face of difficulty."

About Doughty

This courageous word first appeared in Old English as dyhtig, which became dohtig. Then by the 13th century we see doughty. It was probably used in its earliest days to praise brave and fearless knights. It’s seen less often these days, but you should fearlessly include it in your vocabulary.

Did you Know?

While this word first popped up in Middle English, there are other European influences, which can be seen in similar words in other languages. In Danish, “dygtig” means virtuous and proficient. In Dutch, “duchtig” is severe or strict. In German, someone capable and efficient is “tüchtig.” “Dygðugur” is Icelandic for virtuous, and in Swedish, “duktig” is efficient or clever.

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