doodad

noun

doo·​dad ˈdü-ˌdad How to pronounce doodad (audio)
1
: an ornamental attachment or decoration
2
: an often small article whose common name is unknown or forgotten : gadget

Examples of doodad in a Sentence

where does this little doodad go? has a habit of buying gadgets and doodads sold on television shopping channels
Recent Examples on the Web The house was a kaleidoscopic mix of African and Haitian art, and traditional furniture, dinnerware, and specialized silver dining implements and doodads—grape shears, a potato fork, a cake breaker, a butter pick—that had no practical contemporary exigence. Martha McPhee, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2023 Many of the best foot massagers are electronic, with plenty of gizmos and doodads to amp up the relaxation, but there are effective low-tech options, too. Olivia Evans, Women's Health, 29 Aug. 2023 In practice, users are tilting their phone or tablet left and right to steer, while keeping a thumb ready to tap a creature-capturing doodad in the bottom corner of the screen. Celia Ford, WIRED, 21 Aug. 2023 The two models sport distinct looks—the Tur is sleek and streamlined while the Agil is adorned with all manner of aerodynamic doodads. Caleb Miller, Car and Driver, 16 Aug. 2023 Though much of the Somerville store was picked clean, the doodads that remained were as eclectic as ever: Three-piece pet grooming sets for $6.49. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Aug. 2023 Used separately — or occasionally together — these craft-store finds and random doodads have a way of spicing up two coats of polish. Kara McGrath, Allure, 27 June 2023 The ground floor, flecked with vivid-red Fritz Hansen swan chairs, comprised classrooms, a state-of-the-art auditorium, and a workshop of whizbangs and doodads called the Makerspace. Nathan Heller, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2023 One’s a literal box; the other is a curvilinear space oyster that looks like a background doodad from Mass Effect. Jess Grey, Wired, 12 Nov. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'doodad.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of doodad was in 1888

Dictionary Entries Near doodad

Cite this Entry

“Doodad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doodad. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

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