willy

See also: Willy

English

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɪli

Etymology 1

From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will +‎ -y. Cognate with Dutch willig (“obedient, hearsome”), German willig (“willing”), Swedish villig (“willing, agreeable”).

Adjective

willy (comparative willier or more willy, superlative williest or most willy)

  1. (obsolete) Willing; favourable; ready; eager.
  2. (Britain dialectal, Scotland) Self-willed; willful.
  • ill-willy
  • evil-willy

Etymology 2

From Middle English wilȝe, from Old English wiliġ (“willow”). More at willow.

Noun

willy (plural willies)

  1. Alternative form of willow

Etymology 3

From Middle English wilie, from Old English wiliġe, wileġe (“basket”), from Proto-Germanic *wiligō (“wicker basket”), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- (“willow-tree”). More at weel, willow.

Noun

willy (plural willies)

  1. (Britain dialectal) A willow basket.
  2. (Britain dialectal) A fish basket.

Etymology 4

  • Possibly a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the nineteenth century; also possibly the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter.

Alternative forms

Noun

willy (plural willies)

  1. (hypocoristic, slang, childish) the penis.
  2. (Britain) a person whom the speaker dislikes.
Synonyms
Translations

See also

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