dory
UK[ˈdɔːri]US[ˈdɔːri]
n
A narrow, flat-bottomed boat with high sides and a sharp prow, used for fishing.
n
Any of several marine fishes, especially the John Dory, having a deep, laterally compressed body.
Etymology
The word 'dory' for the boat entered English in the early 18th century, borrowed from the Miskito (an indigenous language of Central America) word 'dori', meaning 'dugout canoe'. This reflects the typical pattern of nautical terms being adopted from other cultures through maritime contact. The name for the fish, the John Dory, has a more obscure and folk-etymological origin, possibly derived from the French 'jaune dorée' meaning 'golden yellow', referencing its coloration. Despite the identical spelling, the boat and the fish represent two distinct etymological streams that converged in modern English by coincidence.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. Its spelling and form were adopted directly into English without meaningful segmentation into productive English morphemes.
Examples
The fisherman rowed his dory out to the deeper waters at dawn.
We saw a brilliantly colored dory swimming among the coral reefs.
The classic New England painting depicted a dory pulled up on the rocky shore.