The Collaborative International Dictionary
Doughty \Dough"ty\ (dou"t[y^]), a. [Compar. Doughtier (dou"t[i^]*[~e]r); superl. Doughtiest.] [OE. duhti, dohti, douhti, brave, valiant, fit, useful, AS. dyhtig; akin to G. t["u]chtig, Dan. dygtig, Sw. dygdig virtuous, and fr. AS. dugan to avail, be of use, be strong, akin to D. deugen, OHG. tugan, G. taugen, Icel. & Sw. duga, Dan. due, Goth. dugan, but of uncertain origin; cf. Skr. duh to milk, give milk, draw out, or Gr. ty`chh fortune. [root]68.] Able; strong; valiant; redoubtable; as, a doughty hero.
Sir Thopas wex [grew] a doughty swain.
--Chaucer.
Doughty families, hugging old musty quarrels to their
hearts, buffet each other from generation to
generation.
--Motley.
Note: Now seldom used, except in irony or burlesque.
Wiktionary
a. (en-superlative of: doughty)
WordNet
[also: doughtiest, doughtier]
See doughty
Usage examples of "doughtiest".
He is, in very truth, the doughtiest champion in all this fair country, matchless at any and every weapon, ahorse or a-foot, in sooth a very Ajax, Achilles, Hector, Roland and Oliver together and at once, one and indivisible, aye--by Cupid a very paladin!
I certainly do not lament the decadence of knight errantry, nor wish to exchange the protection of the laws for that of the doughtiest champion who ever set lance in rest.
And Jack of the Tofts and the chiefest of the Captains, and the Bishop, and the greatest lords of the Barons, and the doughtiest of the Knights, and the Mayor and the Aldermen, and the Masters of the Crafts, sat at the banquet with the King and his mate.
As he neared them Sir Ingram himself, one of the doughtiest of Edward's knights, rode out with levelled lance to meet him.