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• kelly
  kelly

  noun

  a man's stiff hat, as a derby or straw skimmer.
• Kelly
  Kelly

  noun

  Ellsworth, 1923–2015, U.S. painter and sculptor.

kelly

¹ American  

[kel-ee] / ˈkɛl i /

noun

Slang.

• kellies,
  plural
• kellys
  plural

1. a man's stiff hat, as a derby or straw skimmer.

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Kelly ² American  

[kel-ee] / ˈkɛl i /

noun

1. Ellsworth, 1923–2015, U.S. painter and sculptor.

2. Emmett (Leo), 1898–1979, U.S. circus clown and pantomimist.

3. Eugene Curran Gene, 1912–96, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and director.

4. George (Edward), 1887–1974, U.S. playwright and actor.

5. Grace Patricia Princess Grace of Monaco, 1929–82, U.S. actress: married Prince Rainier III of Monaco 1956.

6. Walt, 1913–73, U.S. cartoonist.

7. Also Kellie. a male or female given name.

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Kelly British  

/ ˈkɛlɪ /

noun

1. Gene, full name Eugene Curran Kelly. 1912–96, US dancer, choreographer, film actor, and director. His many films include An American in Paris (1951) and Singin' in the Rain (1952)

2. Grace. 1929–82, US film actress. Her films included High Noon (1952) and High Society (1956). She married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956 and died following a car crash

3. Ned. 1855–80, Australian horse and cattle thief and bushranger, active in Victoria: captured by the police and hanged

4. See game 1

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• kellies
  plural
• kellys
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kelly

First recorded in 1910–15; generic use of surname Kelly, taken as representative of a stage Irishman wearing such a derby

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

kelly Kelly kellies

The Eagles will wear their throwback kelly green jerseys for the second time this season.

From Washington Times ● Nov. 24, 2023

That sam smith and kelly clarkson collab of breakaway 🥺 parang bagay din kay ate 🥰

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2022

Watering adjustments It is not uncommon for my kitchen sink or bathtub to be filled to the brim with a clash of sage, chartreuse and kelly green leaves.

From Salon ● Apr. 6, 2022

With the A’s wearing kelly green jerseys for a rare road game, he allowed three runs, struck out seven and walked one.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 18, 2021

The houses in the neighborhood were old but freshly painted, some in bright colors like lavender or kelly green.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

“All of President Trump’s investment holdings are in held in fully discretionary accounts managed by independent third-party financial institutions,” Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

During a 2015 interview on “Live With Kelly and Michael,” Panettiere revealed why she understood Juliette’s struggles, and advocated for more discussion about postpartum depression.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly described the crash as a "horrific incident"

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Conductor Kelly Kuo captured the opera’s pacing but sometimes let the orchestra overpower the singers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Whatever Kelly wanted me to see is over.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon

For catching "kellies" or "killies," bait the trap with crushed clams or salt-water mussels and for fresh water shiners use mincemeat or bread crumbs and do not spill any bait outside of the trap.

From The Boy Mechanic: Volume 1 700 Things for Boys to Do by Popular Mechanics Co.

Related Words

• blue-green
• olive