/ ˈdɔɪli; NAmE / noun ( pl. -ies )
1.
( BrE ) a small circle of paper or cloth with a pattern of very small holes in it, that you put on a plate under a cake or sandwiches
2.
( NAmE ) a small decorative mat that you put on top of a piece of furniture
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WORD ORIGIN
late 17th cent.: from Doiley or Doyley , the name of a 17th-cent. London draper. The word originally denoted a woollen material used for summer wear, said to have been introduced by this draper. The current sense (originally doily napkin ) dates from the early 18th cent.