dido

1 of 2

noun (1)

di·​do ˈdī-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce dido (audio)
plural didoes or didos
1
: a mischievous or capricious act : prank, antic
often used in the phrase cut didoes
2
: something that is frivolous or showy

Dido

2 of 2

noun (2)

Di·​do ˈdī-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce Dido (audio)
: a legendary queen of Carthage in Virgil's Aeneid who kills herself when Aeneas leaves her

Examples of dido in a Sentence

Noun (1) known for cutting didoes at the holiday party held each year at the office

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Noun (2)

Latin, from Greek Didō

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1807, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dido was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dido

Cite this Entry

“Dido.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dido. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on dido

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!