dunny
An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatoryAn outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
Meaning
5 senses(Australia, New Zealand, Northern England, Scotland, also, dated, slang)An outhouse: an outbuilding used as a lavatory.
(Australia, New Zealand, slang)Any other place or fixture used for urination and defecation: a latrine; a lavatory; a toilet.
(Northern England, Scotland, dated, slang)A passageway, particularly those connecting an outhouse to the main building.
(Northern England, Scotland, dated, slang)A cellar, basement, or underground passage.
(UK, derogatory, dialectal, euphemistic, obsolete)A dummy, an unintelligent person.
Origin
Probably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”). A clipped forProbably from dun (“to ring”) + -y (“forming adjectives of lesser degree”).
A clipped form of English cant dunnakin (“outhouse”) + -y (suffix forming affectionate diminutives). Dunnakin, dunnekin, etc. are of uncertain etymology, but probably from some form of English cant danna (“dung”) + ken (“house”, pejorative slang). The Scottish and North English senses may derive from Etymology 4 below, either under influence from English cant or as its original source.
A clipped form of English dungeon + -y (“forming affectionate diminutives”).
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