Dullery

/ˈdʌləri/ noun

Definition

The quality, character, or condition of being dull; dullness (archaic or rare).

Etymology

From 'dull' + the suffix '-ery' (a place, practice, or collection of things, as in 'gallery' and 'archery'). This word is rarely used in modern English but follows a productive pattern for creating abstract nouns.

Kelly Says

Dullery is such a strange word—the '-ery' suffix usually makes concrete nouns like 'archery' (the place/practice of arrows) and 'pottery' (the place/practice of pots), but here it creates an abstract quality!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

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