Examples of “nelly” in a Sentence

noun A silly or foolish person (informal, dated).

• Don't be such a nelly, just ask her out.
• He felt a right nelly after tripping in front of everyone.

noun A large seabird related to the albatross, found in the Southern Ocean (the giant petrel).

• Sailors on the long voyage often saw a nelly gliding low above the waves.
• The scientist counted each nelly nesting on the rocky southern island.
• A nelly circled the ship for hours, riding the wind without a single wingbeat.