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Added 10 October 2026

dote

/dəʊt/ verb

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about dote at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Be foolish or senile due to old age.
Shower with love; show excessive affection for.
Grandmother dotes on the twins

Origin

The verb is derived from Middle English doten, from Middle Low German doten (“to be foolish”) or Middle Dutch doten (“to be silly”). Doublet of doit (Scottish English). The noun in the sense of "imbecile" is derived from Middle English dote (“simpleton”), itself from doten (see above). The noun in the sense of "darling" and "decay" is derived from the modern verb.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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