roly-poly

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) A toy that rights itself when pushed over.
2. (countable, informal, uncountable) A short, plump person (especially a child).
3. (countable, uncountable) A forward roll or sideways roll.
4. (Australia, countable, uncountable) Synonym of tumbleweed (“any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place”); specifically, the prickly Russian thistle (Kali tragus or Salsola tragus).
5. (British, also, attributive, countable, uncountable) A baked or steamed pudding made from suet pastry which is spread with fruit or jam (or occasionally other fillings) and then rolled up.
6. (Canada, US, countable, uncountable) In full roly-poly bug: a small terrestrial invertebrate which tends to roll into a ball when disturbed, such as a woodlouse (suborder Oniscidea, especially a pill bug (family Armadillidiidae) or a sowbug (family Porcellionidae)) or a pill millipede (superorder Oniscomorpha).
7. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) A mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
8. (historical, uncountable) An activity or game involving rolling.
9. (countable, historical, uncountable) An activity or game involving rolling.
10. (countable, historical, uncountable) An activity or game involving rolling.
11. (countable, historical, uncountable) An activity or game involving rolling.

Adj

1. Moving with a rolling and swaying motion.
2. (childish, humorous, informal, often) Short and plump; squat.

Adv

1. By rolling, so as to roll.
2. (obsolete) Without hesitating; directly; hence, in a thoughtless manner; indiscriminately.

Synonyms

dumpy

woodlouse

podgy

tubby

pill bug

plump

pudgy

roly-poly pudding

fat

sow bug

tilting doll

fat person

fatso

tumbler

butterball

fatty

slater

doodlebug

potato bug

cork-tumbler

buxom

cochineal

inflated

jellyroll

plum

squat

Swiss roll

armadillo bug

roll up bug

monkeypea

cheeselog

wobbly man

weeble

roly-poly toy

Translations

Stehaufmännchen

culbuto

poussah

joão-bobo

tıknaz

poussa

ramponeau

misirizzi

Oniscidea

bodur

grassouillet

dodu

braç de gitano

saltamartí

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli/

Etymology

The noun is apparently derived from roll (“to turn over and over”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. Compare rolly (“having the ability to roll, rolling”, adjective), which is attested since the 19th century.
Sense 1.7 (“mischievous or worthless person”) is possibly influenced by poll (“head; (archaic) scalp; (by extension) person”).
The adjective and adverb are attested later than the noun, and so are probably derived from it.