dildo
n. countablen. an object shaped like a penis that people use for sexual pleasure.
n. an anatomical model of a penis, typically made of silicone or plastic, used for sexual stimulation. Often crude in tone; avoid in formal or professional writing.
The shop sells various types of dildos.
The health educator explained that a dildo should be cleaned thoroughly after every use to maintain hygiene.
While historically documented in various cultures, the modern dildo is often manufactured from medical-grade materials to ensure safety and durability during intimate use.
Unclear; possibly an alteration of English diddle. Compare the use as an expressive nonsense syllable in often sexual songs and the spelling dil doul, found in e.g. The Maids Complaint for want of a Dil Doul, a song in the library of Samuel Pepys. Unlikely to be related to Italian diletto (“delight”) or Latin dīlātō (“I open up, spread”), often cited etymologies.
Related to other nonsense syllables like dido and diddle(-diddle), which similarly developed sexual senses. Found since at least the 1500s, often in contexts where allusion is being made to the sexual sense (above). Possibly influenced by Middle English dildoun (“darling, pet”), early modern English dildin (“sweetheart”); compare Old Norse dilla (“to lull”), dillindo (“lullaby”).
The plural form is usually 'dildos', though 'dildoes' is an accepted but less common spelling.