Dunghilly

/ˈdʌŋhɪli/ adjective

Definition

Resembling, relating to, or characteristic of a dunghill; squalid, filthy, or degraded in appearance or quality.

Etymology

From 'dunghill' (dung + hill) + '-y' (adjective suffix). The adjective form extends the metaphorical usage of dunghill to describe conditions or qualities.

Kelly Says

The '-y' suffix transforms dunghill from a place into a quality—something can be 'dunghilly' without actually being near feces, which is how metaphors gradually expand to describe moral and social degradation.

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