bobby

¹

[ bob-ee ]

noun

, British Informal.

, plural bob·bies.

1. a policeman.

Bobby

²

or Bob·bie

[ bob-ee ]

noun

1. a first name, often a form of Robert or Roberta.

bobby

/ ˈbɒbɪ /

noun

1. informal.
   a British policeman

Word History and Origins

Origin of bobby¹

1835–45; special use of Bobby, for Sir Robert Peel, who set up the Metropolitan Police system of London in 1828

Word History and Origins

Origin of bobby¹

C19: from Bobby after Sir Robert Peel , who, as Home Secretary, set up the Metropolitan Police Force in 1828

Example Sentences

He met his wife, Mary Lou, in 1956, brunette and pretty, wearing bobby socks at a fraternity mixer at Michigan State.

From Salon

“Tight as a drum”, was how the local beat bobby described the people on his patch.

From BBC

"Maybe it needs to go back to more bobbies on the beat, panda cars driving around and just keeping an eye on things - because this person, he's still around."

From BBC

She found a lot of rusty bobby pins, empty paper cups, and dust bunnies.

From Literature

But the report finds bobbies who should be on the beat are behind desks, backfilling for civilian support staff who have been stripped out.

From BBC