somewhat sick, weak, or lacking in vitality; not completely well
2. Scot
unfortunate; ill-fated; unlucky
3. Brit dialect
fastidious; neat; tidy
Also: donsy
Word origin
[1710–20; ‹ ScotGael donas harm, ill + -ie]This word is first recorded in the period 1710–20. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: bureau, floater, rewind, tint, whack-ie is a noun-forming suffix with a variety of functions in contemporary English, addedto monosyllabic bases to create words that are almost always informal. Its earliestuse, probably still productive, was to form endearing or familiar names or commonnouns from personal names, other nouns, and adjectives (Billy; Susie; birdie; doggie; granny; sweetie; tummy). The hypocoristic feature is absent in recent coinages, however, which are simplyinformal and sometimes pejorative (boonies; cabby; groupie; hippy; looie; Okie; preemie; preppy; rookie). Another function is to form from adjectives nouns that denote exemplary or extremeinstances of the quality named by the adjective (baddie; biggie; cheapie; toughie), sometimes focusing on a restricted, usually unfavorable sense of the adjective(sharpie; sickie; whitey). A few words in which the informal character of the prefix has been lost are nowstandard in formal written English (goalie; movie). Other words that use the affix -ie include: Dixie, brassie, cheapie, hippie, quickie