Kilroy

American  

[kil-roi] / ˈkɪl rɔɪ /

noun

1. a fictitious American male, created by American troops who left the inscription Kilroy was here on walls, property, etc., all over the world in the years during and after World War II.

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Usage

What does Kilroy was here mean? Kilroy was here, or Kilroy for short, is a popular military graffito depicting a man with a long nose peeking over the top of a wall.

Etymology

Origin of Kilroy

First recorded in 1940–45; from the Irish surname Kilroy; several people have been suggested as the eponym

Example Sentences

In its latest statement, police said another man, 66-year-old David Kilroy from Plymouth, had been charged with theft following an alleged incident of organised shoplifting at a Sainsbury's in Lewisham on 14 March 2026.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

One of her most famous appearances was on the popular daytime TV show Kilroy where she was invited to discuss the 'paedophile panic' that was sweeping the county.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2025

As the sailors returned to the water Saturday, Kilroy, a leader in sustainable real estate development and a sponsor of U.S.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 16, 2022

“I told Ali this story, and he said after workouts tomorrow morning, we will go down to see the boy,” Kilroy said.

From Washington Times • Sep. 23, 2021

"Mrs. Kilroy and Mrs. Orton Beg have just come in; I will go and join them."

From The Beth Book Being a Study of the Life of Elizabeth Caldwell Maclure, a Woman of Genius by Grand, Sarah