# Doris

/ˈdɑɹəs/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/doris
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR B1

a traditional female first name.

For teachers: a female given name of Ancient Greek origin, meaning 'Dorian woman'.

- My grandmother Doris always baked the best apple pies for us.
- The name Doris saw a significant surge in popularity during the early twentieth century before becoming less common in recent decades.

### 2. wife or girlfriend

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

a way to talk about your wife or girlfriend.

For teachers: a slang term referring to a man's wife, girlfriend, or female partner.

- I need to check with my Doris before I agree to go to the pub.
- He often referred to his wife as 'the Doris' when chatting with his colleagues at the construction site.

### 3. an older woman

noun · CEFR C2 · British English · Slang

a word for a woman, often one who is older or seems a bit boring.

For teachers: a term for a woman, frequently used with a patronising or mildly derogatory tone to imply she is older or unattractive.

- There were a few Doris types waiting at the bus stop in the rain.
- The comedian's routine relied heavily on stereotypes of suburban Dorises and their supposed obsession with garden centres.

### 4. gay

adjective · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect · Slang

a slang word for a gay man.

For teachers: a slang term used to describe a gay man, particularly within Cockney rhyming slang or Polari-influenced dialects.

- He came out as Doris to his family when he was twenty.
- In certain older London circles, the term Doris was used as a coded way to identify someone as gay.

### 5. asteroid

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a large rock in space that orbits the sun.

For teachers: a large main-belt asteroid, specifically 48 Doris, discovered in 1857.

- Astronomers used a telescope to track the movement of Doris through the sky.
- The orbital characteristics of 48 Doris were first calculated shortly after its discovery by Hermann Goldschmidt.

## Examples

- He is bringing his doris to the party tonight.
- The old man at the pub often joked about having to check with his doris before staying for another drink.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.