noun Uncommon

Wally

WO-lee

Wally (noun) means (British, informal) A foolish or incompetent person. Example: “Don't be such a wally — you left the keys in the door again.”

noun

(British, informal) A foolish or incompetent person.

"Don't be such a wally — you left the keys in the door again."

A large pickled gherkin, often sold with fish and chips.

"He ordered a wally on the side with his chips."

How to use Wally

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA mild British put-down for someone who's done something silly — or, separately, a big pickled cucumber served as a snack.

When to use it

Informal and mostly British; used affectionately more often than as a genuine insult.

Word forms

wallies plural

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Don't be such a _____ — you left the keys in the door again.

Rhymes for Wally

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

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Wally” mean?

The word “Wally” means (British, informal) A foolish or incompetent person. In plain terms, a mild British put-down for someone who's done something silly — or, separately, a big pickled cucumber served as a snack.

How do you pronounce “Wally”?

“Wally” is pronounced WO-lee (/ˈwɒli/ in IPA).

How do you use “Wally” in a sentence?

Here is “Wally” used in a sentence: “Don't be such a wally — you left the keys in the door again.”

What part of speech is “Wally”?

“Wally” is a noun.

Is “Wally” a common word?

“Wally” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Wally” have?

“Wally” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: (British, informal) A foolish or incompetent person.