Dottiness
/ˈdɒt.i.nəs/noun
The quality or state of being silly, eccentric, or absent-minded.
Did you know?Dottiness comes through dotty and dote, a medieval verb meaning “to be foolish,” possibly linked to an old Germanic root associated with being senseless or mentally lifeless.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*dautijaną
“To become senseless or foolish; traditionally connected with the idea of being lifeless or dead”
Old English
Old English
dotian
“To be foolish or have impaired judgment”
Middle English
Middle English
doten
“To behave foolishly or lose mental sharpness”
14th Century
English
dote
“To be foolish, especially through age or mental weakness”
18th Century
English
dotty
“Foolish, eccentric, or mildly insane”
Modern English
English
dottiness
“The state or quality of being dotty”