adj

pally

PALEE

Pally (adj) means Friendly and familiar, like a close friend; often used slightly mockingly of a sudden or overly casual friendliness. Example: “He got surprisingly pally with the new manager within a week.”

adj

Friendly and familiar, like a close friend; often used slightly mockingly of a sudden or overly casual friendliness.

"He got surprisingly pally with the new manager within a week."

"She seemed a bit too pally with people she barely knew."

How to use pally

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishActing friendly and buddy-buddy with someone, often in a way that seems a little too eager or convenient.

When to use it

Informal, British-leaning slang; not used in formal writing.

Common pairings

get pally with a bit too pally

Word forms

pallier comparative, more pally comparative, pallies plural, pallies plural, Pallies plural, palliest superlative, most pally superlative

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Fill the gap

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He got surprisingly _____ with the new manager within a week.

Etymology

From "pal" (a close friend) plus the informal adjective suffix "-y."

Rhymes for pally

ally bally sally Wally dally rally tally really locally usually equally finally

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Frequently asked questions

What does “pally” mean?

The word “pally” means friendly and familiar, like a close friend; often used slightly mockingly of a sudden or overly casual friendliness. In plain terms, acting friendly and buddy-buddy with someone, often in a way that seems a little too eager or convenient.

How do you pronounce “pally”?

“Pally” is pronounced PALEE (/ˈpali/ in IPA).

How do you use “pally” in a sentence?

Here is “pally” used in a sentence: “He got surprisingly pally with the new manager within a week.”

What part of speech is “pally”?

“Pally” is an adjective.