adj
dotty
DO-tee
adj
1
Mildly eccentric or confused, especially due to old age.
"Her dotty old uncle kept forgetting where he'd put his glasses."
2
Covered with many dots.
"The curtains had a dotty pattern in pastel colors."
How to Use Dotty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA gentle, slightly affectionate word for someone who's a bit scatterbrained or eccentric, often used of the elderly.
When to use it
Mostly British and informal.
Common pairings
dotty old man
a bit dotty
Word Forms
dottier comparative, dottier comparative, dotties plural, dottiest superlative, dottiest superlative
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Her _____ old uncle kept forgetting where he'd put his glasses.
Etymology
Related to "dote" (in its "senile" sense); compare "totty," meaning unsteady or dizzy.