roly poly

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "roly poly" has two common meanings: the pill bug that curls into a ball, and a playful way to describe someone chubby or round, especially babies.

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Hillbilly Dude Says...

Oh 'roly poly' is a common word in the country. And growin' up, I remember my Momma often singin', "roly poly, eatin' corn and taters.'

Pronunciation

[ROH-lee POH-lee]

Meaning & Usage

- The pill bug (woodlouse) (noun)

Mae:

What are the kids doin’?

Earl:

Pickin’ up roly polies under the rocks.

- A chubby or round person (noun, figurative)

Mae:

Look at them fat cheeks.

Earl:

Yep, he’s a little roly poly.

other spellings: pill bug, doodle bug, wood louse, sow bug, butterball (similar figurative use), kids catching roly polies under rocks, he’s a roly poly baby, and she called him a roly poly little feller

★ "Roly poly" is one of those playful country words that kids learn early - first from catching bugs, then from hearing it used affectionately about babies or chubby folks. ★

Origin

From the English nursery term "roly-poly," meaning round and rolling, recorded as far back as the 1800s. In Southern and Appalachian English, it stuck both as a name for the pill bug and as a description for someone plump.

Notes

Still widely used in the South and Appalachia. The bug sense is common elsewhere in the U.S., but the affectionate figurative sense ("roly poly baby") carries stronger country and family flavor. Related to butterball.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "ro-lee po-lee."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "roly poly" only a Southern bug name?

No - it’s used nationwide, but in the South/Appalachia it’s often the *main* name, instead of "pill bug."

Is calling someone "roly poly" mean?

Usually not - it’s often affectionate, especially with babies.

Do people still use it today?

Yes - both for the bug and for describing someone chubby or round.