DictionaryAI

donkey

noun
SayDONG-kee/ˈdɑŋki//ˈdɒŋki/

Pluraldonkeys

6 meanings of donkey

Practice

  1. 1
    animalnouncountable
    A domesticated hoofed animal, Equus asinus, related to and smaller than the horse.

    The donkey hauled water jugs up the steep mountain path.

    Donkeys can survive on poorer food than horses.

    UsageThe plural is donkeys (not incorrect: donkies).

    Similarass, burro

  2. 2
    foolnouncountable
    A foolish or stupid person.

    Some donkey parked across two spaces in the busy lot.

    He felt like a donkey after locking his keys in the car.

    UsageA mild insult, often joking: you donkey, feel like a donkey.

    Similarclown, buffoon, chump, dolt, bonehead

  3. 3
    stubborn personnouncountable
    A stubborn person, unwilling to be persuaded or to give way.

    Negotiations stalled because the old donkey would not budge an inch.

    He's a real donkey once he's made up his mind about something.

    UsageCalling someone a donkey is insulting.

    Similarmule

Less common meanings

  1. 4
    bad poker playernounslangcountable
    A poor or unskilled poker player, especially one who loses money through bad play.

    The pros were happy to see a donkey join their high-stakes game.

    Calling every raise with weak cards, he played like a complete donkey.

    UsageOften play like a donkey. It is a jibe, not a neutral word.

    Similarfish

    Oppositeshark, pro

    Note

    At the card table, the word judges how someone plays, not how they think in general. It narrows the 'fool' meaning to bad decisions with chips and cards.

  2. 5
    small enginenouncountable
    A small auxiliary engine used for secondary tasks, such as driving pumps or winches aboard a ship.

    Engineers fired up the donkey to drive the cargo winches.

    The ship's donkey supplied power for the deck machinery.

    UsageShort for donkey engine, the clearer form outside ship talk.

    Note

    On shipboard, this word is usually a clipping of donkey engine. The name borrows the reputation of the working animal as a small, patient hauler: the donkey does the lifting and pumping, leaving the main engine free to drive the ship.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

    • Donkey engines perform auxiliary lifting and pumping duties aboard ships. en.wikipedia.org
  3. 6
    noundatedcountable
    A box or chest for tools or personal belongings, especially a toolbox or a sailor's storage chest.

    Similarchest, trunk, box

    Note

    Old naval slang, now dated, used the name of the animal for a box, especially a tool chest, and for a sailor's storage chest as well. In present-day writing it is likely to puzzle readers. It works for period color in a naval setting; elsewhere, plain toolbox or sea chest says it better.

Practice

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Origin

The origin is uncertain. Originally a late-eighteenth-century slang term, it perhaps comes from Middle English *donekie, a double diminutive meaning a small dun (brownish-grey) horse, formed from 'dun' plus diminutive suffixes, or similarly from the name Duncan. It became more common than the earlier word 'ass', partly because 'ass' sounded like 'arse'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 7 facts