diy

diy — noun

1. practical work such as repairing furniture, painting walls, or building shelves

1.nounB1
Definition

practical work such as repairing furniture, painting walls, or building shelves that you do around your home instead of hiring someone to do the job for you.

Example

Leila painted her kitchen cupboards and fixed a broken drawer during a weekend of DIY.

uncountable noun pattern: 'a weekend of DIY' / 'a bit of DIY'

The local hardware store runs free workshops for anyone who enjoys DIY.

people who enjoy + noun for hobbies and interests

Common collocations
  • DIY project
  • DIY store
  • DIY skills
  • DIY enthusiast
  • DIY kit
  • DIY supplies
Synonyms
  • do-it-yourself

    the full form of the abbreviation; identical in meaning but less common in everyday speech

  • home improvement

    broader term that includes both DIY and professional renovations

Antonyms
  • hire a professional

    the opposite approach — paying a skilled worker rather than doing the work yourself

Usage Note

Frequently used as a modifier before other nouns: DIY store, DIY project, DIY skills. The abbreviation is commonly written in uppercase letters (DIY) or lowercase (diy); both forms are widely accepted.

Common Mistakes

I bought it from a DIY.
I bought it at a DIY store.
DIY is an activity, not a place. Use 'hardware store' or 'DIY store' for the shop.

Word family

  • do-it-yourself
    noun phraseB1
  • DIYer
    nounB2
  • DIY enthusiast
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

DIY (short for 'do-it-yourself') refers specifically to doing household repairs, decorating, and making items yourself instead of paying a professional. 'Do-it-yourself' is the full form with the same meaning, though it is less common in casual conversation. 'Home improvement' is broader — it can include large-scale renovations carried out by hired contractors, such as adding a new bathroom. 'Handiwork' focuses on the finished product of manual skill (e.g., 'the handiwork of a skilled carpenter') and does not carry the unpaid-versus-professional contrast. 'Handicraft' usually describes decorative or artistic items made by hand, like knitted scarves or pottery, and is not limited to home tasks. For example, painting a fence is DIY; hiring a team to build an extension is home improvement; weaving a basket is a handicraft.

do-it-yourselfhome improvementhandiwork ↗handicraft ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • DIY project
  • DIY store
  • DIY kit
  • DIY enthusiast
  • DIY skills
  • DIY supplies
  • DIY job

Phrases

  • do it yourself
  • a bit of DIY
  • weekend DIY

Etymology

English

DIY is an abbreviation of the English phrase 'do-it-yourself,' which first appeared in print in the early 20th century. The concept gained widespread popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, when post-war homeowners in Britain and the United States had more leisure time and affordable power tools. The abbreviation DIY became a common label in magazines, hardware stores, and television shows that encouraged people to take on projects around the house themselves.