wallah en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈwɑːlə/
- /ˈwɒlə/
Etymology
Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”).
Meanings
-
(India, North) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah.
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:
-
(India, North, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis, historical) Ellipsis of competition wallah.
alt of competition wallah
- (UK, slang) A guy or bloke.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| valah | alternative | lexicographic | |
| wala | alternative | lexicographic | |
| vaala | alternative | lexicographic | |
| vaalah | alternative | lexicographic | |
| wallahs | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| walah | alternative | lexicographic | |
| waala | alternative | lexicographic | |
| waalah | alternative | lexicographic | |
| walla | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
dudhwallah · competition wallah · tentwallah · compass wallah · boxwalla · base wallah · ground wallah · boxwallah · punkahwallah · puncture-wallah · autowallah · dabbawalla