A sturdy animal related to the horse, with long ears and a loud braying call, often used as a working animal. In informal speech, it can also be used as an insult for someone considered foolish or stubborn.
The origin is uncertain; it appears in English in the late 18th century. It may be a playful alteration of 'dun' (a dull gray-brown color) plus the '-key' ending, or influenced by the pet-name pattern like 'monkey'. Before 'donkey', English speakers usually said 'ass'.
The older, perfectly normal word for this animal is 'ass', but modern English speakers avoid it because it sounds like a rude body part. Donkeys are stereotyped as stupid, yet they’re actually cautious and have excellent memories—traits that keep them alive in rough conditions. Their 'stubbornness' is often just self-preservation.
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