donkey: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, Neutral (for the animal), Pejorative (when referring to a person)
Quick answer
What does “donkey” mean?
A domesticated animal of the horse family, Equus africanus asinus, with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A domesticated animal of the horse family, Equus africanus asinus, with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden.
A stupid or foolish person (informal, derogatory); in engineering, a donkey engine, a small auxiliary engine.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In British English, 'donkey' is the most common term. In American English, 'ass' or 'burro' (for a smaller or wild donkey) are also used, though 'ass' is considered more formal/vulgar depending on context.
Connotations
UK: Common, sometimes affectionate/charming (e.g., donkey rides at the seaside). US: Slightly less frequent in everyday speech than 'ass' for the animal, but 'donkey' is the preferred non-vulgar term.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English. In US English, 'burro' is used in Southwestern contexts, and 'ass' is common in rural/ranching settings.
Grammar
How to Use “donkey” in a Sentence
[verb] a donkey (e.g., ride, feed, own)a donkey [verb] (e.g., brayed, bolted)donkey of [noun] (e.g., a donkey of a man)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “donkey” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- (Rare as verb) To donkey about (to mess around).
American English
- (Rare as verb) Not standard.
adjective
British English
- (Rare) A donkey jacket (a type of durable workman's coat).
American English
- (Rare) Donkey engine (small auxiliary engine).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except metaphorically for 'donkey work' meaning tedious tasks.
Academic
Used in zoology, agriculture, and historical contexts.
Everyday
Common for the animal; informal insult for a person.
Technical
Used in veterinary science, animal husbandry, and genetics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “donkey”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “donkey”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “donkey”
- Spelling: 'donky' or 'donkie' (incorrect). Plural: 'donkeys', not 'donkies'. Confusing 'donkey' with 'mule' (a donkey-horse hybrid).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not when referring to the animal. When calling a person a 'donkey', it is a mild, informal insult meaning foolish or stubborn.
'Donkey' and 'ass' refer to the same animal (Equus africanus asinus), with 'ass' being more formal (and potentially vulgar due to homonymy). A 'mule' is the sterile hybrid offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.
It means a very long time. It's a punning phrase from Cockney rhyming slang, where 'donkey's ears' rhymes with 'years'.
Very rarely and non-standardly. You might hear 'donkey about' in UK slang meaning to mess around, but it's not common.
A domesticated animal of the horse family, Equus africanus asinus, with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden.
Donkey is usually informal, neutral (for the animal), pejorative (when referring to a person) in register.
Donkey: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɒŋki/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɑːŋki/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “donkey's years (a very long time)”
- “talk the hind leg off a donkey (to talk excessively)”
- “donkey work (hard, routine work)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A donkey is long in the ear and strong in the back, like the word itself: DON-key has a long 'O' sound and ends with a strong 'KEY'.
Conceptual Metaphor
STUBBORNNESS/FOLLY IS A DONKEY (e.g., 'Don't be such a donkey!'), PATIENCE/ENDURANCE IS A DONKEY (e.g., 'He did the donkey work').
Practice
Quiz
In which idiom does 'donkey' refer to hard, monotonous labour?