What does dogsbody mean?
A dogsbody is a person relegated to doing tedious, menial work — fetching, carrying, cleaning up, and handling whatever unglamorous chores others pass over. The term originated in nineteenth-century British naval slang, where a "dogsbody" was a humble dish of boiled ship's biscuit and meat, originally intended for the ship's dogs before being adopted into sailors' own rations. From that unappetising origin it came by extension to describe anyone whose role seemed fit only for a dog. Today the word is used informally, most commonly in British English, to characterise junior employees, interns or apprentices who occupy the lowest rung of a workplace hierarchy. Applied to oneself, it can be cheerfully self-deprecating; aimed at another person, however, it risks sounding belittling, so care is needed in professional settings. Its vivid imagery makes it a memorable alternative to blander terms like "assistant" or "helper", capturing precisely the drudgery of low-status work.
A person given boring, menial tasks to perform; a drudge or odd-jobber.
"She started as a dogsbody at the magazine, photocopying and running errands before earning a byline."
Informal and chiefly British; acceptable in self-description, potentially insulting if directed at others.
(Historical) In Royal Navy slang, a dish of boiled ship's biscuit and meat, originally prepared for the ship's dogs.
"Sailors grumbled over their ration of dogsbody, the greasy boiled hash once meant for the ship's hounds."
Obsolete except in historical accounts of naval life.
Standard plural; note the irregular-sounding shift from "body" to "bodies", following normal English spelling rules for nouns ending in -y.
"Every newsroom needs fewer managers and fewer dogsbodies pretending to be journalists."
"Dogsbody" began life not as an insult but as dinner: Royal Navy slang for a boiled-up hash of ship's biscuit and meat originally meant for the ship's dogs.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dogsbody
The word emerged in early nineteenth-century British naval slang, first recorded around 1810–1820, denoting a dish of boiled ship's biscuit and meat — food originally meant for the ship's dogs. Sailors themselves ate this unappetising mixture, and by extension the term transferred to any lowly, unpleasant fare. During the First World War it broadened further into its modern sense, describing a person assigned menial, drudge-like tasks, a usage that spread from the armed services into civilian British English.
Related word forms
How dogsbody is actually used
Informal register, chiefly British English though understood elsewhere. The term can be mildly self-deprecating when applied to oneself, but may sound dismissive or demeaning when applied to someone else. It often appears in contexts of workplace hierarchy — interns, junior staff and apprentices are typical 'dogsbodies'.