Hypertext Webster Gateway: "ditty"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ditty \Dit"ty\, n.; pl. {Ditties}. [OE. dite, OF. diti['e], fr.
L. dictatum, p. p. neut. of dictare to say often, dictate,
compose. See {Dictate}, v. t.]
1. A saying or utterance; especially, one that is short and
frequently repeated; a theme.
O, too high ditty for my simple rhyme. --Spenser.
2. A song; a lay; a little poem intended to be sung.
``Religious, martial, or civil ditties.'' --Milton.
And to the warbling lute soft ditties sing.
--Sandys.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Ditty \Dit"ty\, v. i.
To sing; to warble a little tune.
Beasts fain would sing; birds ditty to their notes.
--Herbert.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
ditty
n : a short simple song (or the words of a poem intended to be
sung)
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