golly

[gol-ee]

interjection

Informal.

1. (used as a mild exclamation expressing surprise, wonder, puzzlement, pleasure, or the like.)

golly

¹

/ ˈɡɒlɪ /

verb

1. to spit

noun

1. a gob of spit

golly

²

/ ˈɡɒlɪ /

interjection

1. an exclamation of mild surprise or wonder

golly

³

/ ˈɡɒlɪ /

noun

1. informal,  short for golliwog

Word History and Origins

Origin of golly¹

First recorded in 1840–50; euphemistic alteration of God

Word History and Origins

Origin of golly¹

C20: altered from gollion a gob of phlegm, probably of imitative origin

Origin of golly²

C19: originally a euphemism for _God

Example Sentences

“Golly, I’d sure like to meet that girl over there,” Powers confided to the cashier.

Read more on Literature

Richter, though, is widely beloved or at least enjoyed, whether that’s due to his consistent improvement or his association with late-night at a time when that genre is politically imperiled, or his “gosh golly” affability.

Read more on Salon

Golly, I thought, either I’m getting better or the Turbo S is.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“At first I was thinking, ‘Golly, this is going to be a challenge,’” she replies.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I am a loyal person,” Harris writes, which is not only self-justifying but has the slightly off-putting whiff of someone declaring, by golly, I’m just too honest.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cry 
• exclamation 
• expletive 
• insertion 
• interpolation 
• interposition 
• shout