dilly

noun

dil·​ly ˈdi-lē How to pronounce dilly (audio)
plural dillies
: one that is remarkable or outstanding
had a dilly of a storm
for a practical joke, that was a dilly

Examples of dilly in a Sentence

came up with a dilly of an idea to get the fledgling company off the ground
Recent Examples on the Web Pick-a-dilly Craft Fair St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, 20775 Kingsland Blvd. Houston Chronicle, 29 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dilly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

obsolete dilly, adjective, delightful, perhaps by shortening & alteration from delightful

First Known Use

1935, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dilly was in 1935

Dictionary Entries Near dilly

Cite this Entry

“Dilly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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