Dogsbody

/ˈdɔɡzˌbɑdi/ noun

Definition

A person who has to do all the tedious, unpleasant, or menial work in an organization; a drudge or lowly assistant.

Etymology

From 19th-century British naval slang where 'dog's body' referred both to a cheap meal (peas and hardtack) and to the sailors who ate it. The term metaphorically extended to anyone treated poorly or given thankless work.

Kelly Says

In British English, 'dogsbody' became the go-to word for office underlings and assistants—there's something specifically British about this term, likely because British naval culture heavily influenced formal workplace language and humor.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.