Resembling or characteristic of a bulldog; showing stubborn determination, a sturdy build, or a gripping, unyielding quality.
From 'bulldog' (the dog) + the diminutive/descriptive suffix '-y'. This creates a casual adjective capturing bulldog-like qualities, similar to how we might say 'piggy' or 'doggy.'
The '-y' suffix makes 'bulldoggy' feel more informal and playful than 'bulldoggish,' which is why you'd say a child's expression is 'bulldoggy' but describe a prosecutor's tactics as 'bulldoggish'—word choice reveals attitude.
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