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golly

[ gol-ee ]
/ ˈgɒl i /
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See synonyms for golly on Thesaurus.com
interjection Informal.
(used as a mild exclamation expressing surprise, wonder, puzzlement, pleasure, or the like.)
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Origin of golly

First recorded in 1840–50; euphemistic alteration of God

Words nearby golly

go light on, golilla, golliwog, golliwogg, gollop, golly, gollywobbler, goloshes, golp, Golschmann, Goltz
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to golly

ahem, alas, amen, boo, er, exclamation, hello, hooray, hurrah, oh, shucks, whoopee, wow, dear me, gee, goodness gracious, lord, gee whiz, gesundheit, good gracious

How to use golly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for golly (1 of 3)

golly1
/ (ˈɡɒlɪ) /
interjection
an exclamation of mild surprise or wonder

Word Origin for golly

C19: originally a euphemism for God

British Dictionary definitions for golly (2 of 3)

golly2
/ (ˈɡɒlɪ) /
noun plural -lies
British informal short for golliwog

British Dictionary definitions for golly (3 of 3)

golly3
/ (ˈɡɒlɪ) Australian slang /
verb -lies, -lying or -lied
to spit
noun plural -lies
a gob of spit

Word Origin for golly

C20: altered from gollion a gob of phlegm, probably of imitative origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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