Etymology From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).
1
A short, simple verse or song.
religious, martial, or civil ditties[1644], [John Milton], Of Education. To Master Samuel Hartlib, [London]: […] [Thomas Underhill and/or Thomas Johnson], →OCLC:
And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.1636, G[eorge] S[andys], “(please specify the page)”, in A Paraphrase upon the Psalmes of David. And upon the Hymnes Dispersed throughout the Old and New Testaments, London: [Andrew Hebb […]], →OCLC:
1 more example
This fine effort didn't just fall through a crack, it never got out the starting gate. Despite thoughtful ditties like the up-tempo, stomping "People (We Need a Change)," "Uncle James," which first appeared on New York City's debut album, "Circles," and "Love (I Guess That's the Fool in Me)."1976, Andrew Hamilton, “Circles Review”, in allmusic.com, archived from the original on 04 May 2026, people:
2
A saying or utterance, especially one that is short and frequently repeated.
O, too high ditty for my simple rime.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 50:
3
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of ditty bag.
ditty
verb
Etymology From Middle English dite, ditee, from Old French ditie or dité, from ditier, from Latin dictāre (participle dictatus).
Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.[1633], George Herbert, edited by [Nicholas Ferrar], The Temple. Sacred Poems, and Private Ejaculations, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel; and are to be sold by Francis Green, […], →OCLC: