dully-designed
|dull-y-de-signed|
/ˈdʌli dɪˈzaɪnd/
unimaginatively created
Etymology
The word 'dully-designed' is a compound formed from 'dully' (meaning 'in a dull manner') and 'designed' (the past participle of 'design'). 'Dully' comes from 'dull' + '-ly', and 'designed' comes from the verb 'design'.
'Dully' comes from Middle English 'dul', meaning 'dull', and '-ly', an adverbial suffix. 'Design' comes from Latin 'designare', meaning 'to mark out'. The compound 'dully-designed' is a modern English formation.
Initially, 'dully' meant 'in a dull way', and 'designed' meant 'planned or created'. Together, 'dully-designed' came to mean 'created in a dull or uninspired way'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
designed in a dull, uninteresting, or uninspired way.
The building was criticized for its dully-designed exterior.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/03 05:22