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Definition of philly

philly

/ˈfɪl.i/
Phil · ly
Plural:phillies
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philly Lexical Profile

• noun

1

American An informal nickname for Philadelphia, the largest city in the US state of Pennsylvania, located in the northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers.

2

American A Philly cheesesteak, a hot sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll.

Example

"He ordered a classic Philly with sautéed onions and provolone from the corner deli."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for philly

Word Nuance & Usage

Do not confuse 'Philly' (the informal nickname for the city of Philadelphia) with 'filly' (a young female horse).

• Rhymes for philly

• Nearby Words

philippines
philistine
philistines
philly
philodendron
philosopher
philosophic

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Philly. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/philly
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