wallah
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of wallah
First recorded in 1770–80; from Hindi -wālā, an adjective suffix meaning “connected with, pertaining to,” also a noun suffix meaning “person in charge” (functionally equivalent to the English agent noun suffix -er 1 ( def. ) ); from Prakrit, Sanskrit pāla- “protector,” a derivative of the root pā- “to protect”
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.
No rickshaw wallah was going to agree to take me to Lyari at that hour.
From Slate • Jul. 4, 2016
If he dishes out bad "gen," then he is a "duff gen wallah."
From Time Magazine Archive
London Your review wallah has gone and pulled a howler.
From Time Magazine Archive
A fellow who purveys "gen" is known as a "gen wallah."
From Time Magazine Archive
Father looked at me for a second, as if to speak, then thought better, said, “Ice cream, anyone?” and headed for the closest ice-cream wallah before we could answer.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
