roly-poly

[ roh-lee-poh-lee, -poh-lee ]

adjective

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

   Synonyms: pudgy, rotund, fat

   Antonyms: scrawny

noun

, plural ro·ly-po·lies.

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

roly-poly

/ ˈrəʊlɪˈpəʊlɪ /

adjective

1. plump, buxom, or rotund

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of roly-poly¹

1595–1605; earlier rowle powle, rowly-powly worthless fellow, game involving rolling balls, rhyming compound based on roll (v.); for second element poll ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of roly-poly¹

C17: apparently by reduplication from roly , from roll