roly-poly

[ roh-lee-poh-lee, -poh-lee ]
/ ˈroʊ liˈpoʊ li, -ˌpoʊ li /

adjective

short and plumply round, as a person or a young animal.

noun, plural ro·ly-po·lies.

a roly-poly person or thing.
Chiefly British. a sheet of biscuit dough spread with jam, fruit, or the like, rolled up and steamed or baked.

Origin of roly-poly

1595–1605; earlier rowle powle, rowly-powly worthless fellow, game involving rolling balls, rhyming compound based on roll (v.); for second element cf. poll1

Words nearby roly-poly

Example sentences from the Web for roly-poly

British Dictionary definitions for roly-poly

roly-poly
/ (ˈrəʊlɪˈpəʊlɪ) /

adjective

plump, buxom, or rotund

noun plural -lies

British a strip of suet pastry spread with jam, fruit, or a savoury mixture, rolled up, and baked or steamed as a pudding
a plump, buxom, or rotund person
Australian an informal name for tumbleweed

Word Origin for roly-poly

C17: apparently by reduplication from roly, from roll