roly poly

/ˈroʊliˌpoʊli/
adjective
  1. Short and plump; round and chubby in a pleasing way.
    • The roly-poly puppy rolled over for a belly rub.
    • My baby cousin is so roly-poly with her chubby cheeks and little round tummy.
    • The cartoon character was a roly-poly little man with a big smile.
noun
  1. A small, plump person or animal, especially a child or pet.
    • The hamster was a cute roly-poly that fit in the palm of your hand.
    • She called her teddy bear her roly-poly because it was so round and soft.
    • Look at that little roly-poly waddling across the playground!
  2. A type of dessert made of rolled pastry with jam or fruit filling, often steamed or baked.
    • The bakery's jam roly-poly is a classic British treat.
    • He ordered a slice of roly-poly pudding at the tea shop.
    • Grandma served a warm roly-poly with custard for dessert.
  3. A small, round crustacean that rolls into a ball when disturbed; also called a pill bug or woodlouse.
    • The children found a roly-poly under the rock and watched it curl up.
    • Roly-polies are harmless and help break down dead leaves in the garden.
    • When I touched the roly-poly, it rolled into a tiny ball.
Synonyms
What does "roly poly" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean