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Definition of polly

polly

/ˈpɑːli/
pol · ly
Plural:pollies
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polly Lexical Profile

polly Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An informal or affectionate name for a parrot (often capitalized when used as a conventional pet name).

Example

"The colorful polly perched on the pirate's shoulder and mimicked every word he said."

2

Australian A politician, especially an elected member of parliament.

Example

"Local voters gathered outside the town hall to question the visiting pollies about the new highway budget."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for polly

• Rhymes for polly

• Nearby Words

pollute
polluter
pollution
polly
pollyanna
pollywog
polo

Word Origin & Etymology

Originally a rhyming variant of the female given name Molly (itself a pet form of Mary), which became a traditional stock name for pet parrots by the early 17th century. The Australian slang sense for a politician arose in the 20th century as a playful shortening of "politician" combined with the diminutive suffix "-y".

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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