The Collaborative International Dictionary
Dowdy \Dow"dy\, a. [Compar. Dowdier; superl. Dowdiest.] [Scot. dawdie slovenly, daw, da sluggard, drab, Prov. E. dowd flat, dead.] Showing a vulgar taste in dress; awkward and slovenly in dress; vulgar-looking. -- Dow"di*ly, adv. -- Dow"di*ness, n.
Wiktionary
a. (en-superlative of: dowdy)
WordNet
adj. lacking in smartness or taste; "a dowdy gray outfit"; "a clean and sunny but completely dowdy room"
primly out of date; "nothing so frumpish as last year's gambling game" [syn: frumpy, frumpish]
n. British marshal of the RAF who commanded the British air defense forces that defeated the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain (1882-1970) [syn: Dowding, Hugh Dowding, Baron Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding]
deep-dish apple dessert covered with a rich crust [syn: pandowdy]
See dowdy
Usage examples of "dowdiest".
When questioned about his first wish on returning to earth, he had expressed the desire to kiss the most attractive woman present, had chosen the dowdiest old hag from the crowd and bent to kiss her gravely on the forehead, explaining that she reminded him of his mother.
We had noted in a vague sort of way that she had a fairly attractive physique, even if it was covered up in some of the dowdiest clothes we'd ever seen since the late, great Minnie Pearl, but that was about as far as we had gotten on the worksheet.