Roly-poly

Quick meaning: Roly-poly is a noun meaning A toy that rights itself when pushed over.

Meaning

A toy that rights itself when pushed over.

More Meanings

1. A short, plump person (especially a child).
2. A forward roll or sideways roll.
3. A baked or steamed pudding made from suet pastry which is spread with fruit or jam (or occasionally other fillings) and then rolled up.
4. A mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
5. (uncountable, historical) An activity or game involving rolling.
6. 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).
7. 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).

Example Sentences

BOBO The Roly Poly Clown / Punch him—beat him—tackle him—Bobo will bounce right back with a smile!

Though most often made of plastic, roly-poly tumble toys were commonly found in mid-century toy boxes.

Among the many adaptations of the Japanese tumbler toy are those known to American children as a roly-poly and a Kelly.

In a few weeks 'our baby' was a regular roly-poly, fat and frolicsome. Has she forgotten all the neglect? God grant it.

Word Forms

• roly-polys
• roly-polies
• rolly polly
• rolly-poly
• rolly-pooly

Synonyms for roly-poly

Depending on context, synonyms include butterball, chubbs, chubster, chunker, elephant, fat.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include fatty, fatso, poly, polymolecularity, polyhedrality, polyhedroid.

Related Dictionary Tools