# Duffy

/ˈdəfi/ (US)

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

## Senses

### 1. a surname

noun · CEFR B2

a common last name that comes from Ireland or Scotland.

For teachers: a surname of Irish or Scottish Gaelic origin, anglicized from Ó Dubhthaigh or Mac Dhuibhshíthe.

- The author Carol Ann Duffy was the first woman to become the UK Poet Laureate.
- Genealogical records indicate that the Duffy family settled in this region during the mid-nineteenth century following the Great Famine.

### 2. a ghost

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Dialect

an old way of spelling 'duppy', which is a ghost or spirit in Caribbean stories.

For teachers: an archaic variant of 'duppy', referring to a ghost or spirit in West Indian (particularly Jamaican) folklore.

- In the old stories, a duffy would haunt the silk cotton trees at night.
- Early colonial accounts of Caribbean superstitions often transcribed the local term for a malevolent spirit as 'duffy' before the spelling 'duppy' became standard.

Usage: Usually refers to the soul of a deceased person that remains on earth to haunt the living.

## Examples

- The old house was said to be haunted by a duffy.
- Local legends warned children not to wander near the cotton tree at night for fear of encountering a duffy.
- The folklore of the region is rich with stories of duffies that guard hidden treasures or seek to settle scores from their previous lives.

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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.