dutty
/ˈdʌtɪ/
The Jamaican word for dirty is dutty.
The term dutty is used to describe something that is covered with or containing dirt. Beyond physical dirtiness, it can also be used to describe a person's behavior.
Meaning: covered with or containing dirt (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdʌtɪ/
Did you know?
- The word dutty might trace its roots back to the Akan word dɔteɛ, which means 'earth' or 'dirt'.
- The word dutty is often paired with 'wine' to describe a specific style of dancing involving suggestive hip movements.
- In certain contexts, dutty is used in the phrase dutty ras as a strong exclamation or an intensifier of anger.
Examples in context
- But of all de house pon de road, me notice dis one das hab a whole heap a dutty boot line off pon de mat pon de veranda.I noticed one house on the street which had several dirty shoes side-by-side on a mat on the porch.This sentence shows how dutty can be used to describe things found around a house.
- Mi nuh wah go inna di grimey room.I don't want to go into the dirty room.
- Di wata inna di basin look dutty.The water in the basin looks dirty.
- Im behave so dutty, mi cyaan trust him.He behaves so dirty, I can't trust him.
- De floor way dutty.The floor is dirty.
Example conversation
Andre and Tanesha are cleaning the living room.
- AndreTanesha, look how dutty de floor get!Tanesha, look how dirty the floor has become!
- TaneshaMe know, we need fi sweep it now.I know, we need to sweep it now.
- AndreYuh dutty cloth can't clean it.Your dirty cloth cannot clean it.
- TaneshaMi will go get a fresh one.I will go get a fresh one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dirty” translations and entries dutty, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dutty, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
