kelly

[kel-ee]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR kelly ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural kel·lies, kel·lys. Slang.

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

Origin of kelly

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

Kelly

[kel-ee]

noun

Ellsworth,born 1923, U.S. painter and sculptor.

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

Eugene Cur·ran [kur-uh n, kuhr-] /ˈkɜr ən, ˈkʌr-/, Gene, 1912–96, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and director.

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

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

Walt,1913–73, U.S. cartoonist.

Also Kel·lie. a male or female given name.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for kelly

olive, blue-green, fir, sap, jade, sage, moss, pine, forest, sea, grass, peacock, apple, spinach, willow, verdigris, malachite, beryl, chartreuse, aquamarine

Examples from the Web for kelly

Contemporary Examples of kelly

He stood holding his 21-month-old son, Jamison, his wife, Kelly, at his side.
Cop Families Boo De Blasio at NYPD Graduation
Michael Daly
December 30, 2014
“Jenny Packham has proven an ideal fit for the Duchess,” Kelly said.
Kate Middleton, the Preggers Fashion Princess
Tom Sykes
November 14, 2014
Does Kelly Johana have a valid excuse for attending the party with over 60 youth between the ages of 13 and 20?
Colombian Beauty Queen Arrested for Running Child Prostitution Ring
Jason Batansky
October 17, 2014
The comparison prompted Kelly to release the terse statement: “Martha McSally is no Gabby Giffords.”
The Battle Is On in Gabby Giffords’s Old District
Eleanor Clift
October 9, 2014
But Kelly continued with the storyline that Nolan is simply one of many Muslims living amongst us who at any time might kill you.
Megyn Kelly’s Really Scary Muslim
Dean Obeidallah
October 5, 2014

Historical Examples of kelly

The office of Bolton & Kelly has been the school of many prominent lawyers.
Cleveland Past and Present
Maurice Joblin
Pee-wee wondered who Kelly was and where his barn was located.
Pee-wee Harris
Percy Keese Fitzhugh
Then he gave Kelly a moderately truthful account of what had occurred.
People of Position
Stanley Portal Hyatt
He had never given Kelly a hint, and no one else could have told him.
People of Position
Stanley Portal Hyatt
Kelly, himself, had arrived in England with nothing, an unknown man.
People of Position
Stanley Portal Hyatt

British Dictionary definitions for kelly

Kelly

noun

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)

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

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

game as Ned Kelly or as game as Ned Kelly See game 1 (def. 25)

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

Word Origin and History for kelly

Kelly

common Irish surname, from Old Irish ceallach "war." As a type of pool played with 15 balls, it is attested from 1898. Kelly green first recorded 1917.