kelly
noun
a man's stiff hat, as a derby or straw skimmer.
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kelly
1 American
[kel-ee]
/ ˈkɛl i /
noun
Slang.
kellies,
plural
kellys
plural
Kelly
2
American
[kel-ee]
/ ˈkɛl i /
noun
-
Ellsworth, 1923–2015, U.S. painter and sculptor.
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Emmett (Leo), 1898–1979, U.S. circus clown and pantomimist.
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Eugene Curran Gene, 1912–96, U.S. dancer, choreographer, actor, and director.
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George (Edward), 1887–1974, U.S. playwright and actor.
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Grace Patricia Princess Grace of Monaco, 1929–82, U.S. actress: married Prince Rainier III of Monaco 1956.
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Walt, 1913–73, U.S. cartoonist.
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Also Kellie. a male or female given name.
Kelly
British
/ 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)
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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
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Ned. 1855–80, Australian horse and cattle thief and bushranger, active in Victoria: captured by the police and hanged
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See game 1
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Eagles will wear their throwback kelly green jerseys for the second time this season.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 24, 2023
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
She had better sartorial luck for the Critics’ Choice Awards, for which she wore a kelly green jumpsuit by Christian Siriano, with a sweetheart neckline and puffy shoulders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2019
In her lap is a kelly green Bermuda bag with pink piping and wooden handles; inside the bag is a tube of 7UP-flavored lip balm that she draws from time to time across her mouth.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
Kelly Whiteside is a professor in sports media and journalism at Montclair State University who has covered nine World Cups.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
On one occasion Kelly came close to finding out who he was, searching for his real name online.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Kelly Whiteside is a professor in sports media and journalism at Montclair State University.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Martin Kelly, senior intelligence analyst at security firm EOS Risk Group, believes the current round of strikes will follow a familiar pattern to the last.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
He had been trying for weeks to end his relationship with Karen Kelly.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
