caddy

Etymology 1

An alteration of catty (“(unit of) weight used in China, equivalent to 1⅓ pounds avoirdupois (about 0.605 kilograms)”), borrowed from Malay kati (“weight used in China, Indonesia, and Japan”), from Tamil கட்டி (kaṭṭi, “measure of weight; clod, lump”), from கட்டு (kaṭṭu, “to coagulate, congeal, or consolidate (into a concretion); to harden”).

noun

1. (also attributively) A small box or tin (can) with a lid for holding dried tea leaves used to brew tea.
   The Carneses imported lacquer teapoys in sets. These sets could be easily stacked in a corner of the drawing room and brought out at teatime to hold a teacup, a set, or a caddy. The Carneses purchased lacquered teapoys sets for four dollars in China and probably sold them for twice that amount in America. 2019, Nancy E. Davis, “Afong Moy Presents Chinese Objects for the Home”, in The Chinese Lady: Afong Moy in Early America, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, part II (The Show), page 107
2. (by extension)
   1. A (usually small) box, chest, or tin with a lid, and often with partitions, used to keep things in.
      A sauce caddy brought with the tacos offers a choice of salsa cruda, a thin puree of tomatillos, and an emulsion of red chilies. 1990, Washingtonian, volume 25, Washington, D.C.: Washington Magazine, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 121
   2. A movable tray or other mechanism for holding (sometimes within a piece of equipment or machinery), securing, and transporting a removable component.
      Place the disc in the DVD caddy.
   3. A lightweight wheeled cart; specifically, one attached to a bicycle as a conveyance for a child, or pulled by hand and used to transport groceries away from a shop.

Etymology 2

A variant of caddie (etymology 1).

noun

1. (golf, also attributively) Alternative spelling of caddie (“a person hired to assist a golfer by carrying their golf clubs and providing advice”)
   Caddy, pass me my five iron.
   As caddy I had to carry the clubs, for there are four varieties almost everyone used, and some used more. Besides doing this, the caddy has to keep score of the number of strokes used, and watch and find each ball. 1897 (date written), Paul T. B. Ward, quotee, “19th Hole: The Readers Take Over”, in Sports Illustrated, volume 19, number 4, Chicago, Ill.: Time Inc., published 22 July 1963, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 60
   Then Carter Chapman picked out his putter, stepped confidently up to the ball, sighted once along the ground, and made his stroke. The ball rolled straight as a die toward the caddy who was holding the flag, and tinkled into the cup for a birdie three! 1921 March, Octavus Roy Cohen, “Follow Through”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LXXII, number 2, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company,[…], →OCLC, page 370, column 1

verb

1. (intransitive, golf) Chiefly followed by for: alternative spelling of caddie (“to serve as a caddy (noun sense) for a golfer”)
   I was honored to caddy for Tiger Woods at a charity golf game.
   We took turns caddying, one caddying, two playing. We went out across the river to the teeing ground of the first hole. 1897 (date written), Paul T. B. Ward, quotee, “19th Hole: The Readers Take Over”, in Sports Illustrated, volume 19, number 4, Chicago, Ill.: Time Inc., published 22 July 1963, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 60
   The next day the thirty-two qualifying players were paired off into sixteen sets of opponents. Charlotte was matched against a girl from California. After the first few minutes, the result was never in doubt. "Take it easy, miss," said the highly gratified Mr. Ogilvie, who was caddying for Charlotte. "You hold her in the hollow of your hand." 1917 July, George Weston, chapter VI, in The Apple-tree Girl: The Story of Little Miss Moses, who Led Herself into the Promised Land, Philadelphia, Pa., London: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, published 1918, →OCLC, page 100