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wallah
or wal·la
[ wah-lah, -luh ]
noun
, Indian English.
- a person in charge of, employed at, or concerned with a particular thing (used in combination):
a book wallah; a ticket wallah.
wallah
/ ˈwɒlə /
noun
- informal.usually in combination a person involved with or in charge of (a specified thing)
the book wallah
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Word History and Origins
Origin of wallah1
First recorded in 1770–80; from Hindi -wālā, an adjective suffix meaning “connected with, pertaining to,” also a noun suffix meaning “person in charge” (functionally equivalent to the English agent noun suffix -er 1( def ) ); from Prakrit, Sanskrit pāla- “protector,” a derivative of the root pā- “to protect”
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Word History and Origins
Origin of wallah1
C18: from Hindi -wālā from Sanskrit pāla protector
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Example Sentences
Malcolm understood instantly that his native companion had found the ekka-wallah more communicative.
From Project Gutenberg
Mr. Fumigator-Wallah is not the least busy of the more retiring members of a war-hospital staff.
From Project Gutenberg
There may be many who will readily disagree with my disparagement of the Indian Jadoo-wallah.
From Project Gutenberg
A box wallah with his attendant coolie, staggering under the weight of a huge box of Manchester goods, hurries by.
From Project Gutenberg
"Ah, yes; but your wallah frequently falls asleep at his work," you remark to the resident.
From Project Gutenberg
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