Also spelled doat

US /doʊt/ UK /dəʊt/
verb

Meanings

  1. 1
    verb

    to show excessive fondness or affection

    Grandparents tend to dote on their first grandchild.

Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 verb · to show excessive fondness... adorecherishidolizeworshiplovepamper
Word family
Forms doated
Derived forms dotingdoterdotagedotard

Etymology

From Middle English doten ('to be foolish, act silly'), probably from or cognate with Middle Dutch doten ('to be silly'); the sense 'to love excessively' developed from the notion of foolish fondness.

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