roly-poly

1 of 2

adjective

ro·​ly-po·​ly ˌrō-lē-ˈpō-lē How to pronounce roly-poly (audio)
: being short and pudgy : rotund

roly-poly

2 of 2

noun

plural roly-polies
1
: a roly-poly person or thing
2
British : a sweet dough spread with a filling, rolled, and baked or steamed

called also roly-poly pudding

Examples of roly-poly in a Sentence

Adjective a roly-poly baby who grew into a slender child
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adjective
The damp, gray roly-poly creature is a bonafide celebrity. Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 Understanding Armadillos Regardless of what they’re called, most people know exactly what an armadillo looks like, with its roly-poly armored form and weird shuffling walk. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 18 Sep. 2024 Big bellies and butts — and skinny teens and roly-poly toddlers and wiry grandpas and even Ken and Barbie look-alikes — are everywhere, all mixed in together. Kate Cohen, Washington Post, 22 July 2024 Easier said than done for the roly-poly panda, who befriends a thieving fox (Awkwafina) and faces a shape-shifting villainess (Viola Davis) who magically steals other martial arts masters' abilities. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 3 July 2024 Wade’s gurgling pompadour matches well with his roly-poly physique and go-with-the-flow personality. Hugh Hart, Los Angeles Times, 15 Nov. 2023 These don’t come up as high as other boots on the market, which means a more flexible shoe, but potentially less ankle support for hikers with roly-poly ankles. Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 1 Sep. 2023 One of them gave us an impromptu tutorial in how the cotton is picked, pulled, and dyed using the region’s natural resources: a smoky brown came from avocado bark, a fluorescent green from rosemary leaves, a rich crimson from crushed roly-poly bugs. David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 19 Aug. 2023 Joey was a roly-poly 7th grader, embittered that he’d been uprooted. Brad Townsend, Dallas News, 11 July 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

reduplication of roly, from roll entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

1820, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of roly-poly was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near roly-poly

Cite this Entry

“Roly-poly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/roly-poly. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

roly-poly

1 of 2 adjective
ro·​ly-po·​ly
ˌrō-lē-ˈpō-lē
: being short and fat

roly-poly

2 of 2 noun
plural roly-polies
: a roly-poly person or thing
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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