noun Uncommon

telly

TEH-lee

Telly (noun) means British informal word for television, either the broadcast medium or the physical set. Example: “Fancy watching some telly tonight?”

noun

British informal word for television, either the broadcast medium or the physical set.

"Fancy watching some telly tonight?"

"We need a bigger telly for the living room."

How to use telly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishCasual British word for TV.

When to use it

Informal and mainly British — Americans would just say "TV."

Common pairings

watch telly on the telly

Word forms

more telly comparative, tellies plural, tellys plural, tellies plural, most telly superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Fancy watching some _____ tonight?

Etymology

A shortening of tele(vision) with the informal -y ending.

Synonyms

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tube TV

Related words

video television pipe tube metro subway pipeline cylinder

Rhymes for telly

belly jelly nelly Kelly smelly Shelly cruelly Connelly Donnelly underbelly squirrelly

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Frequently asked questions

What does “telly” mean?

The word “telly” means british informal word for television, either the broadcast medium or the physical set. In plain terms, casual British word for TV.

How do you pronounce “telly”?

“Telly” is pronounced TEH-lee (/ˈtɛli/ in IPA).

How do you use “telly” in a sentence?

Here is “telly” used in a sentence: “Fancy watching some telly tonight?”

What is another word for “telly”?

Words with a similar meaning to “telly” include tube and TV.

What part of speech is “telly”?

“Telly” is a noun.

Is “telly” a common word?

“Telly” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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video television pipe tube metro subway pipeline cylinder