dungaree

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Low, common, coarse, vulgar.—Anglo-Indian. DUNGAREE is the name of a disreputable suburb of Bombay, and also of a coarse blue cloth worn by sailors.

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “dungaree” mean?

Low, common, coarse, vulgar.—Anglo-Indian. DUNGAREE is the name of a disreputable suburb of Bombay, and also of a coarse blue cloth worn by sailors.

Is “dungaree” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.