Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

dolly varden

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.08 in modern English

Syllables: dol-ly -var-den
IPA

19

Scrabble Score

11

Letters

4

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A woman's outfit, briefly fashionable in Britain and America in the late nineteenth century, with a brightly patterned, usually flowered, dress with a polonaise overskirt gathered up and draped over a separate underskirt.

noun

A large hat, one side bent downwards, abundantly trimmed with flowers.

noun

Ellipsis of Dolly Varden crab.

noun

Ellipsis of Dolly Varden trout.

Example Sentences

"Dolly Varden is the staple catch. To a point that, after two days, we find ourselves feeling guilty trying to shake them free from our fly or giving plenty of slack in the hope that another Dolly finds early freedom. […] Often the biggest challenge of hooking a big trout is avoiding Dollies."

Etymology

After a lively, coquettish character in Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge.

Inflected Forms

Dolly Vardens (plural)

Phrases

Dolly Varden cake Dolly Varden crab Dolly Varden trout

Questions

What does dolly varden mean?: A woman's outfit, briefly fashionable in Britain and America in the late nineteenth century, with a brightly patterned, usually flowered, dress with a polonaise overskirt gathered up and draped over a separate underskirt.
Where does dolly varden come from?: After a lively, coquettish character in Charles Dickens' novel Barnaby Rudge.

How to pronounce dolly varden

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