Word.ws English Dictionary

roly-poly

UK/ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli//ˈɹoʊliˈpoʊli/

roly-poly noun: a toy that rights itself when pushed over.

Noun

roly-poly (countable and uncountable, plural roly-polys or roly-polies)

  1. A toy that rights itself when pushed over.
    • BOBO The Roly Poly Clown / Punch him—beat him—tackle him—Bobo will bounce right back with a smile!1950 November 27, “American-made Toys … for American Girls and Boys [advertisement]”, in Henry R[obinson] Luce, editor, Life, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 79
    • Among the many adaptations of the Japanese tumbler toy are those known to American children as a roly-poly and a Kelly.1972, Arden J. Newsome, “Japanese”, in Crafts and Toys from around the World, New York, N.Y.: Julian Messner, →ISBN, page 67
  2. (informal) A short, plump person (especially a child).
    • The Germans have a great idea that you must "stärken (strengthen)" yourself. So they eat every few hours. […] The German women are plump roly-polies, as a general rule, and it is probably in consequence of this continual "strengthening."1880, Amy Fay, “The War. German Meals. Women and Men. Tausig’s Teaching. Tausig Abandons His Conservatory. Dresden. Kullak.”, in Music-study in Germany. […], 5th edition, Chicago, Ill.: Jansen...
    • In a few weeks 'our baby' was a regular roly-poly, fat and frolicsome. Has she forgotten all the neglect? God grant it.1893 December 1, Bishop of Jamaica [Enos Nuttall?], “Jamaica Church Ladies’ Association in England”, in The Net Cast in Many Waters: Sketches from the Life of Missionaries, for 1893, volume 28...
    Synonyms:
    All are derogatory unless otherwise labeled, butterball, chod, chodder, chubbs, chubster, chunker, chunky monkey, elephant, fat
  3. A forward roll or sideways roll.
    • When you are finished with circle time, dismiss your children by helping each one do a roly-poly roll (a somersault) and roll away to their next activity.1994, Patty Claycomb, “Roly-poly”, in Gayle Bittinger, editor, Bear Hugs for Circle Time: Positive Activities that Encourage Children to Pay Attention, Everett, Wash.: Warren Publishing House, →ISBN...
    • Children of this age can rarely complete a forward roll or somersault properly. […] A ‘roly poly’ roll or a tucked sideways roll will give the children just as much pleasure and also enough exercise and knowlege of turning and rolling at this stage of their development.1997, Pauline Wetton, “Nursery Class Activities for the Primary School Hall”, in Physical Education in the Early Years (Teaching and Learning in the First Three Years at School), London; New York...
    Synonyms:
    somersault
  4. (Australia) Synonym of tumbleweed (“any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place”); specifically, the prickly Russian thistle (Kali tragus or Salsola tragus).
    Synonyms:
    tumbleweed
  5. (UK, also, attributive) A baked or steamed pudding made from suet pastry which is spread with fruit or jam (or occasionally other fillings) and then rolled up.
    • [page 135] "Fanny has made the roly-poly pudding," says he; "the chops are my part. Here's a fine one; try this, Goldmore." […] [page 137] The three mutton-chops consumed by him were best of the mutton kind; the potatoes were perfect of their order; as for the roly-poly, it was too good.1846 February 28 – 1847 February 27, W[illiam] M[akepeace] Thackeray, “Snobs and Marriage”, in The Book of Snobs, London: Punch Office, […], published 1848, →OCLC, pages 135 and 137
    • And he hates rabbit, and never touches roly-poly, and I must say the beef isn't over tender; […] Dinner began and proceeded till the last piece of the roly-poly pudding was consumed, though not by Cyril; […]1869, Emma Jane Worboise, “Mrs. Matthews’ Family”, in The Fortunes of Cyril Denham, London: James Clarke & Co., […]; Hodder & Stoughton, […], →OCLC, page 190
  6. (Canada, US) In full roly-poly bug: a small terrestrial invertebrate which tends to roll into a ball when disturbed, such as a woodlouse (suborder Oniscidea, especially a pill bug (family Armadillidiidae) or a sowbug (family Porcellionidae)) or a pill millipede (superorder Oniscomorpha).
    • A roly-poly had found his way inside the house; I reasoned that the tiny varmint had crawled up the steps. […] The creatures are no more than an inch long, and when you touch them they roll themselves into a tight gray ball.1960 July 11, Harper Lee, chapter 25, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC, part 2, page 251
    • Terrestrial isopods, commonly known as pill bugs, sow bugs, or roly-polys, are generally familiar to most of us.1995, Henry W. Robison, Robert T. Allen, “Subphylum Crustacea: Crustaceans”, in Only in Arkansas: A Study of the Endemic Plants and Animals of the State, Fayetteville, Ark.: University of Arkansas...
  7. (obsolete) A mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
    • Ile haue thee in league vvith theſe tvvo rovvly povvlies: they ſhal be thy Damons and thou their Pithy-aſſe; […]1601 (first performance), Thomas Dekker, Satiro-mastix. Or The Untrussing of the Humorous Poet. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Edward White, […], published 1602, →OCLC, signatures D, recto – D...
    • Hovv novv, good man ſlaue? vvhat, Rovvle Povvle? all riuals, Raſcal?[1601, Ben Jonson, Poetaster or The Arraignment: […], London: […] [R. Bradock] for M[atthew] L[ownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii
  8. (historical, uncountable) An activity or game involving rolling.
    • If this be your Play (quoth John) that vve may not be like a Quaker's dumb Meeting, let us begin ſome Diverſion; vvhat d'ye think of Rouly-Pouly, or a Country-Dance?1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “The Sequel of the History of the Meeting at the Salutation”, in Lewis Baboon Turned Honest, and John Bull Politician. Being the Fourth Part of...
    1. (historical) A game involving people (usually children) rolling down a slope.
      • Often I did view the shade / Where once a nest my eyes did fill, / And often mark'd the place I play'd / At "roly poly" down the hill.1821, John Clare, “[Poems.] Recollections after a Ramble.”, in The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, volume I, London: […] [T. Miller] for Taylor and Hessey, […]; and E[dward] Drury, […], →OCLC...
    2. (historical) A game in which balls are rolled along the floor to knock down pins, or bowled into holes, or thrown into hats placed on the ground.
      • This is one of the games prohibited by Edward IV.; and received its denomination from being played with one half of a sphere of wood. Half-bowl is practised to this day in Hertfordshire, where it is commonly called rolly-polly; and it is best performed upon the floor of a room, especially if it be...1841, Joseph Strutt, William Hone, chapter VII, in The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England. […], new edition, London: […] Thomas Tegg, […], →OCLC, book III (Pastimes usually Exercised in...
      • ROLY-POLY, or NINE HOLES, a game of ball played by any number of persons, generally nine. […] The Roller tries to roll the ball into one of the holes. If he makes three consecutive misses, a pebble is placed in his hole. […] Roly Poly is a very old English game. It is sometimes played in England...1890, John D[enison] Champlin [Jr.], Arthur E[lmore] Bostwick, “Roly-poly, or Nine Holes”, in The Young Folk’s Cyclopædia of Games and Sports, 2nd edition, New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company...
    3. (historical) Synonym of roulette (“a game of chance in which a small ball is made to move round rapidly on a circle divided off into numbered red and black spaces, the one on which it stops indicating the result of a variety of wagers permitted by the game”).
      • And be it further enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That if any Perſon or Perſons whatſoever ſhall, after the ſaid Twenty fourth Day of June, One thouſand ſeven hundred and forty five, play at the ſaid Game of Roulet, otherwiſe Roly-poly, or at any Game of Chance with Cards or Dice, already...1744, “An Act to Explain, Amend, and Make More Effectual the Laws in Being, to Prevent Excessive and Deceitful Gaming; and to Restrain and Prevent the Excessive Increase of Horse Races”, in Anno...

Adjective

roly-poly (comparative more roly-poly, superlative most roly-poly)

  1. Moving with a rolling and swaying motion.
    • "Oh! Mother, Mother, there has been an old man rat in the dairy—a dreadful 'normous big rat, mother; and he's stolen a pat of butter and the rolling-pin." […] "A rolling-pin?" said Ribby. "Did we not hear a roly-poly noise in the attic when we were looking into that chest?" Ribby and Tabitha rushed...1908 October, Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding, London: Frederick Warne, →OCLC; republished as The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding (eBook #15575)...
    • Seianus bowed, the awkward roly-poly jerk of the fat man.1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Vic.; Sydney, N.S.W.: Scripts, →OCLC, page 52
  2. (childish, humorous, informal, often) Short and plump; squat.
    • She had been waiting for the little roly-poly man to tumble and roll along the deck, and had been mentally indulging her sense of humour on the scene.1867, Grace Ramsay [pseudonym; Kathleen O’Meara], chapter IX, in A Woman’s Trials. […], volume II, London: Hurst and Blackett, […], →OCLC, page 157
    • He ducked back down the alley / With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl1986 August, Paul Simon, “You Can Call Me Al”, in Graceland, performed by Paul Simon

Adverb

roly-poly

  1. By rolling, so as to roll.
    • Tom Kitten bit and spat, and mewed and wriggled; and the rolling-pin went roly-poly, roly; roly, poly, roly.1908 October, Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding, London: Frederick Warne, →OCLC; republished as The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding (eBook #15575)...
  2. (obsolete) Without hesitating; directly; hence, in a thoughtless manner; indiscriminately.
    • At your pleaſure thats rare; then rovvlie, povvlie, our vviues ſhall lye at your commaund: […]1601–1602 (date written), attributed to Thomas Dekker and/or Thomas Middleton, Blurt Master-Constable. Or The Spaniards Night-walke. […], London: […] [Edward Allde] for Henry Rockytt, […], published...

roly-poly meaning in Malayalam, Thai and Vietnamese

roly-poly in Malayalam

plump fat, chubby, stout
തടിച്ചുരുണ്ട, തടിമാടനായ, കൊഴുത്തരുണ്ട, പുഷ്ടിയുള്ള, കൊഴുത്ത, പീനമായ

roly-poly in Thai

toy that rights itself when pushed over
ตุ๊กตาล้มลุก dtúk-dtaa lóm lúk

roly-poly in Vietnamese

toy that rights itself when pushed over
lật đật

Examples of roly-poly in a sentence

  • Though most often made of plastic, roly-poly tumble toys were commonly found in mid-century toy boxes.2012, Jill Hamor, “Toys [Roly-poly Duck]”, in Lynn Koolish, editor, Storybook Toys: Sew 16 Projects from Once upon a Time, Lafayette...
  • This is, indeed, an awful meal, and we have as yet only reached the joint, and there is a detestable, indigestible, unswallowable jam roly-poly to follow.1873 March 26, “Rose Anna: Regina: Henry is Troubled in His Conscience”, in C[harles] H[enry] Ross, editor, Judy, or The London Serio-comic...
  • ROLY-POLY, or NINE HOLES, a game of ball played by any number of persons, generally nine. […] The Roller tries to roll the ball into one of the holes.1890, John D[enison] Champlin [Jr.], Arthur E[lmore] Bostwick, “Roly-poly, or Nine Holes”, in The Young Folk’s Cyclopædia of Games and...
  • "Did we not hear a roly-poly noise in the attic when we were looking into that chest?" Ribby and Tabitha rushed upstairs again.1908 October, Beatrix Potter, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding, London: Frederick Warne, →OCLC; republished as The Tale...

Synonyms of roly-poly

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of roly-poly

Forms of roly-poly

Noun
pluralroly-polys
pluralroly-polies
alternative formrolly polly
alternative formrolly-poly
alternative formrolly-pooly
Adjective
comparativemore roly-poly
superlativemost roly-poly

Origin of roly-poly

The noun is apparently derived from roll (“to turn over and over”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. Compare rolly (“having the ability to roll, rolling”, adjective), which is attested since the 19th century. Noun sense 1.7 (“mischievous or worthless person”) is possibly influenced by poll (“head; (archaic) scalp; (by extension) person”). The adjective and adverb are attested later than the noun, and so are probably derived from it.

Questions about roly-poly

What does roly-poly mean?
Roly-poly means a toy that rights itself when pushed over.
What is roly-poly in Malayalam?
Roly-poly in Malayalam is തടിച്ചുരുണ്ട, തടിമാടനായ, കൊഴുത്തരുണ്ട. See Roly-poly meaning in Malayalam.
How do you use roly-poly in a sentence?
Though most often made of plastic, roly-poly tumble toys were commonly found in mid-century toy boxes.
What part of speech is roly-poly?
Roly-poly can be a noun, an adjective or an adverb.
How do you pronounce roly-poly?
Roly-poly is pronounced /ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli/ (UK).
What is the plural of roly-poly?
The plural of roly-poly is roly-polys.

Words near roly-poly in the dictionary

  1. Rolstons
  2. Rolt
  3. Rolvenden
  4. Roly
  5. roly-polies
  6. roly-poly
  7. roly-polys
  8. rolziracetam
  9. rom
  10. rom com
  11. rom coms

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: roly-poly (page history and authors); roly-poly (Olam, E.K. Kurup corpus) (dataset and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-roly-poly.ogg.

Cite this entry: “roly-poly.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/roly-poly. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.