initialism🔤 abbreviation
DIY
do it yourself
What it means
DIY stands for 'do it yourself.' It describes making, repairing, or building something on your own instead of hiring a professional or buying it ready-made. It works as a noun, a verb, and an adjective — a DIY, to DIY something, a DIY project.
Words like “DIY” are exactly the kind of vocabulary our English vocabulary size test measures — find out how many English words you know.
Examples
- We saved money by going the DIY route for the renovation.
- She loves DIY home decor.
- You can DIY this bookshelf in an afternoon.
- There's a whole DIY community on YouTube.
Where it comes from
An initialism popularized by home-improvement culture in the mid-20th century and later adopted by craft, music, and maker movements as a badge of independence.
Related abbreviations
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