kelly

[ kel-ee ]

/ ˈkɛl i /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for kelly on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural kel·lies, kel·lys.Slang.

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

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON OPPOSITES OF RED BEFORE YOU TURN SCARLET

We have a challenge that will make you blush: do you know the many words and ways to describe the opposite of red?

Question 1 of 7

Which of the following colors is used to symbolize AIR?

white

green

red

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of kelly

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

Words nearby kelly

Kellner eyepiece, Kellogg, Kellogg-Briand Pact, Kells, Kells, Book of, kelly, kelly green, Kelly's operation, Kelmscott Manor, keloid, keloidosis

Other definitions for kelly (2 of 2)

Kelly

[ kel-ee ]

/ ˈkɛl i /

noun

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

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

Eugene Cur·ran

[kur-uhn, kuhr-], /ˈkɜr ən, ˈkʌr-/, "Gene", 1912–96, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and director.

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

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

Walt, 1913–73, U.S. cartoonist.

Also Kellie. a male or female given name.

How to use kelly in a sentence

Kelly said she was locked out for over a week from teaching her students remotely, until the district reversed course and approved her accommodation.
Chicago teachers deadlocked with school district over reopening plans|Kim Bellware, Dawn Reiss|January 26, 2021|Washington Post
Reich led the Bills to another victory the following week, but Kelly returned for the AFC championship game and Super Bowl.
Chad Henne is in the pantheon of NFL backup QB heroes, whether he gets another shot or not|Cindy Boren|January 21, 2021|Washington Post
“The shape and color of the tissue that’s preserved suggests that these animals might have used both odor and visual signals to interact with other members of their species,” Kelly said in an email.
This fossilized butthole gives us a rare window into dinosaur sex|Ellie Shechet|January 20, 2021|Popular-Science
The scenario describes Megyn Kelly’s departure from Fox in 2017 and her subsequent flameout at NBC.
Shepard Smith was a big catch for CNBC. But the viewers haven’t followed him from Fox.|Paul Farhi|December 3, 2020|Washington Post

Pitching advertisers on a campaign that can be run across a portfolio of sites — and tailored to each context, as needed — “makes a more compelling story back to the advertiser,” said Kelly.
‘Context really matters again’: How BuzzFeed’s HuffPost acquisition can help the combined company’s ad sales pitch|Tim Peterson|November 30, 2020|Digiday
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|DAILY BEAST
Iggy Azalea was born Amethyst Amelia Kelly in New South Wales.
The Cultural Crimes of Iggy Azalea|Amy Zimmerman|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Thanks to CompStat and strategies added by Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, crime continued to decline.
Eric Garner Was Just a Number to Them|Michael Daly|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Jenny Packham has proven an ideal fit for the Duchess,” Kelly said.
Kate Middleton, the Preggers Fashion Princess|Tom Sykes|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So I wrote that sketch with Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider.
How Aidy Bryant Stealthily Became Your Favorite ‘Saturday Night Live’ Star|Kevin Fallon|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Joe Kelly and a Mr. Peter Alley were fast asleep in their chairs, close to the wall.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Meyer had observed the danger of his officer, and had ordered Kelly to fire, blazing away too himself.
Overland|John William De Forest
Mr. Kelly approved of this measure as far as it went, but contended for the superiority of his own more comprehensive measure.
The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III.|E. Farr and E. H. Nolan
I haf sent Kelly along to look after them a leetle und make them keep a goot watch.
Overland|John William De Forest
Thurstane posted Kelly and one of the Mexicans on the exterior wall to watch the movements of the savage horde in the plain below.
Overland|John William De Forest

British Dictionary definitions for kelly

Kelly

/ (ˈkɛlɪ) /

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