'dodgy' originates from English slang, specifically from the word 'dodge', where 'dodge' meant 'to avoid or evade'.

'dodgy' developed in late 19th-century/early 20th-century British slang, deriving from 'dodge' (and related slang forms such as 'dodger') and eventually becoming the adjective 'dodgy' meaning 'unreliable' or 'suspicious'.

Initially related to the idea of 'dodging' (evading or tricking), but over time it evolved into the broader informal sense of 'unreliable, suspicious, or risky' and later gained an additional informal sense of 'slightly unwell'.