brolly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium (in UK contexts); Rare (in US contexts)Informal, colloquial
Quick answer
What does “brolly” mean?
A light, portable device used as protection from rain, consisting of a collapsible fabric canopy mounted on a central rod.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A light, portable device used as protection from rain, consisting of a collapsible fabric canopy mounted on a central rod.
A colloquial British English term for 'umbrella'; can also be used humorously or affectionately to refer to an umbrella.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Standard in British informal speech; largely unknown or perceived as a quaint Britishism in American English, where 'umbrella' is used almost exclusively.
Connotations
In the UK: informal, friendly, slightly old-fashioned or quaint for some speakers. In the US: marked as British, potentially humorous or twee.
Frequency
Common in UK everyday speech, especially among older generations; very rare in US speech outside of contexts referencing British culture.
Grammar
How to Use “brolly” in a Sentence
to take a/the brollyto pop/open a brollyto forget one's brollyunder a brollyVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in very informal internal communication ('Don't forget your brolly for the walk to the station').
Academic
Virtually never used.
Everyday
Common in UK informal speech, especially when discussing weather.
Technical
Not used.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “brolly”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brolly”
- Using 'brolly' in formal writing.
- Using 'brolly' in American English contexts where it is not understood.
- Spelling as 'brolley'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is strictly informal and colloquial.
Americans would generally only use it to sound deliberately British or humorous; it is not part of standard American vocabulary.
It is a 19th-century British colloquial shortening of 'umbrella', with the addition of a diminutive '-y' suffix.
Primarily yes, though context could allow it to humorously refer to a parasol. The specific 'golf brolly' is a larger variant.
A light, portable device used as protection from rain, consisting of a collapsible fabric canopy mounted on a central rod.
Brolly: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbrɒli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbrɑːli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “brollies up (indicating it's starting to rain)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a BROLLY as a BROLLY-ing (rolling) sound of rain on an UMBRELLA.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROTECTION IS A PORTABLE SHELTER; RAIN IS AN ADVERSARY TO BE WARDED OFF.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the word 'brolly' a standard informal term?