Definition of dummy

plural dummies
1
a dated, offensive : a person who is incapable of speaking
b : a person who is habitually silent
c : a stupid person He's no dummy. She loves you, you dummy.
2
card games
a : the exposed hand in bridge played by the declarer in addition to his or her
own hand
b : a bridge player whose hand is a dummy
3
: an imitation, copy, or likeness of something used as a substitute: such as
a : mannequin a crash test dummy
b football : a stuffed figure or cylindrical bag used for tackling (see 2tackle
1b) and blocking practice
c entertainment : a large puppet usually having movable features (such as mouth
and arms) manipulated by a ventriloquist
d chiefly British : pacifier 2
4
: one seeming to act independently but in reality controlled by another a dummy
for the real store owner
5
printing
a : a mock-up of a proposed publication (such as a book or magazine)
b : a set of pages (as for a newspaper or magazine) with the position of text and
artwork indicated for the printer (see printer a)
See dummy defined for English-language learners
See dummy defined for kids
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Examples of dummy in a Sentence
She loves you, you dummy.
They practiced CPR on a dummy.
The bomb was just a dummy.
Origin and Etymology of dummy
1dumb + 4-y

First Known Use: 1598

dummy Synonyms
Synonyms
airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead, bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead,
clodpoll (or clodpole), clot [British], cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (or cuddie)
[British dialect], deadhead, dim bulb [slang], dimwit, dip, dodo, dolt, donkey,
doofus [slang], dope, dork [slang], dullard, dumbbell, dumbhead, dum-dum, dummkopf,
idiot, dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon, half-wit, hammerhead,
hardhead, ignoramus, imbecile, jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain,
loggerhead [chiefly dialect], loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, mome [archaic],
moron, mug [chiefly British], mutt, natural, nimrod [slang], nincompoop, ninny,
ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull (or numbskull),
oaf, pinhead, prat [British], ratbag [chiefly Australian], saphead, schlub (also
shlub) [slang], schnook [slang], simpleton, stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead,
turkey, woodenhead, yahoo, yo-yo
Antonyms
brain, genius
Related Words
booby, buffoon, fool, goose, loony, lunatic, madman, nut, zany; loser; gawk;
featherbrain, scatterbrain; beast, boor, cad, churl, clown, creep, cur, heel, jerk,
skunk, snake, stinker, villain; bimbette [slang], bimbo [slang], himbo
Near Antonyms
egghead, intellect, intellectual, sage, thinker, whiz, wizard; polymath,
Renaissance man; sharpie (or sharpy)
2dummy
adjective dummy
Definition of dummy
1
a : having the appearance of being real : artificial dummy foods in the display
case
b : existing in name only : fictitious dummy corporations
2
: apparently acting for oneself while really acting for or at the direction of
another a dummy director
See dummy defined for English-language learners
Examples of dummy in a Sentence
They took apart a dummy bomb.
the dummy shutters on the house are actually made of vinyl and are for decoration
only
Origin and Etymology of dummy
see 1dummy

First Known Use: 1846

dummy Synonyms
Synonyms
artificial, bogus, imitation, ersatz, factitious, fake, false, faux, imitative,
man-made, mimic, mock, pretend, sham, simulated, substitute, synthetic
Antonyms
genuine, natural, real
Related Words
cultured, manufactured, process; unauthentic; adulterated, designer, doctored,
engineered, fudged, juggled, manipulated, tampered (with); concocted, fabricated;
counterfeit, deceptive, forged, fraudulent, misleading, phony (also phoney);
affected, brummagem, feigned, pinchbeck, pseudo, spurious
Near Antonyms
authentic, bona fide, legitimate, true; premium, quality, valuable; pure,
unadulterated
3dummy
verb dummy
Definition of dummy
dummied; dummying
publishing
transitive verb
: to make a dummy (see 1dummy 5) of (something, such as a publication) often used
with up dummied up the front page
Origin and Etymology of dummy
see 1dummy

First Known Use: circa 1928

Phrases Related to DUMMY

Related Phrases
dummy run
crash test dummy
dummy pill
DUMMY Defined for English Language Learners

1dummyplay
noun dummy \'d?-me\
Definition of dummy for English Language Learners
: a stupid person
: a doll that is shaped like and is as large as a person
: a copy of a finished object that is used during practice or training
2dummy
adjective dummy
Definition of dummy for English Language Learners
: looking real but not functioning or able to be used
DUMMY Defined for Kids

dummyplay
noun dummy \'d?-me\
Definition of dummy for Students
plural dummies
1
: something shaped like a human a clothes store dummy
2
: a doll used in a ventriloquist's act
3
: a stupid person
Medical Dictionary

1dummyplay
noun dummy \'d?m-e\
Medical Definition of dummy
plural dummies
1
: a horse lacking the ability to respond to ordinary stimuli because of cerebral
damage especially following encephalomyelitis
2
: pontic
3
: placebo
2dummy
adjective dummy
Medical Definition of dummy
: being a placebo
those who unknowingly receive a dummy pill instead of the real thingNicholas Wade
Learn More about dummy
See words that rhyme with dummy
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for dummy
Spanish Central: Translation of dummy
Nglish: Translation of dummy for Spanish speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dummy for Arabic speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dummy
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