BETTY

Etymology

Noun

betty (plural betties)

(slang, slightly pejorative) An attractive woman; a babe.

A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open; a jemmy.

(archaic, derogatory) A man who performs tasks that traditionally belong to a woman.

(US, archaic) A pear-shaped bottle covered with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; a Florence flask.

Synonyms

• (attractive woman): see beautiful woman

• (man who performs a woman's tasks): cot-betty, cot-quean, henhussy

Hyponyms

• (man who performs a woman's tasks): househusband

Anagrams

• TBYTE, tbyte

Proper noun

Betty

A diminutive of the female given name Elizabeth.

Usage notes

• A popular given name in the early 20th century, often in the form Betty Lou.

Anagrams

• TBYTE, tbyte

Source: Wiktionary

Bet"ty, n.

1. Etym: [Supposed to be a cant word, from Betty, for Elizabeth, as such an instrument is also called Bess (i. e., Elizabeth) in the Canting Dictionary of 1725, and Jenny (i. e., Jane).]

Definition: A short bar used by thieves to wrench doors open. [Written also bettee.] The powerful betty, or the artful picklock. Arbuthnot.

2. Etym: [Betty, nickname for Elizabeth.]

Definition: A name of contempt given to a man who interferes with the duties of women in a household, or who occupies himself with womanish matters.

3. A pear-shaped bottle covered round with straw, in which olive oil is sometimes brought from Italy; -- called by chemists a Florence flask. [U. S.] Bartlett.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition