golliwog

noun

gol·​li·​wog ˈgä-lē-ˌwäg How to pronounce golliwog (audio)
variants or less commonly gollywog or golliwogg
: a type of black rag doll with exaggerated features and colorful clothing that was formerly popular as a children's toy in Britain and Australia

Examples of golliwog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There’s also a grinning golliwog — a racist character from an 1895 children’s book by Florence Kate Upton. Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2022 Imagine the impact, then, of the grinning golliwog in 1980s-era ready-to-wear women’s fashion. Cate McQuaid, BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'golliwog.' 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

Golliwogg, an animated doll in children's fiction by Bertha Upton †1912 American writer

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of golliwog was in 1895

Dictionary Entries Near golliwog

Cite this Entry

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

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