wallah
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology 1 [edit]
Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (-vālā, “person in charge”), from Sanskrit पाल (pāla, “protector”), from Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- (“protect”).
Noun [edit]
wallah (plural wallahs)
- (India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified after it, for example kitchen wallah.
- 1931, George Orwell, A Hanging
- Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.
- 1931, George Orwell, A Hanging
- (UK, slang) A guy or bloke.
Derived terms [edit]
Etymology 2 [edit]
In most cases, this is simply a phonetic misspelling by a person unfamiliar with the French term. However, in some cases, a relationship may be assumed with Arabic والله wallah meaning "by God" or "I swear to God!".
Interjection [edit]
wallah!
- Common misspelling of voilà.
References [edit]
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967