betty
/ˈbɛti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.92 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A man who performs tasks that traditionally belong to a woman; (originally) an effeminate or gay man.
Archaic; Derogatory
noun
A pear-shaped bottle covered with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; a Florence flask.
American usage; Archaic
noun
A baked dessert made with alternating layers of sweetened fruit and buttered bread crumbs.
Example Sentences
- "No modern Lycæum vvill ever equal thy Glory, […] deſcribing the povverful Betty, or the artful Picklock, […]"
- "After a quick meal at a tea shop, we found ourselves in the hallway at the Midland Hotel, where he removed a skeleton key, or “betty” as he called it, from his pocket and inserted it in the keyhole. […] Once they were out of sight, I fumbled about with the betty for a few moments before the lock finally clicked open."
- "On olive oil in casks, twenty cents per gallon; olive salad oil in bottles or betties, thirty per centum ad valorem"
- "A pie-size betty is traditional, but if you like, assemble the recipe in individual ovenproof ramekins."
- "Isn't my house classic? The columns date all the way back to 1972. Wasn't my Mom a betty? She died when I was just a baby. A fluke accident during a routine liposuction. I don't remember her, but I like to pretend she still watches over me."
- "“Well then,” he said. “Let’s say you can betty the lock, hang on a rope, and break the drum, and then lock up again with nobody the wiser. How do I get on in the first place, past the Scots jack, with his sharp cool?”"
Etymology
Usage
- Slang
- Archaic
- Derogatory
- American usage