wallah
English
Etymology 1
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”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈwɑːlə/, /ˈwɒlə/
Audio (Hampshire, England) (file) - Rhymes: -ɑːlə, -ɒlə
Noun
wallah (plural wallahs)
- (India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before 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.
-
- (India, historical) Short for competition wallah.
- (Britain, slang) A guy or bloke.
Derived terms
- boxwallah, boxwalla
- compass wallah
- competition wallah
- ground wallah
- punkahwallah
Etymology 2
From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wa-llāh, literally “by God”).
Alternative forms
- wallahee
- wallahi
- wellah
- wullah
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /wəˈlɑː(h)/
Audio (Hampshire, England) (file) - Rhymes: -ɑː, -ɑːh
Adverb
wallah (not comparable)
- (Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness used in making a solemn oath
Interjection
wallah
- Misspelling of voilà.
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
Danish
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).
Interjection
wallah
- (slang) Generic intensifier.
French
Etymology
From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh), "I swear by God".
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /wa.la/
Audio (file)
Interjection
wallah
- (slang) wow (an expression of surprise)
- (slang, Tunisia) I'm serious
Swedish
Alternative forms
- walla
Etymology
Borrowed from Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh).
Interjection
wallah
- (Islam) wallah (when making an oath)
- – Är det sant? – Wallah! Jag svär!
- – Is that true? – Wallah! I swear!
- Synonym: mammas död
- (slang) Generic intensifier.
See also
- jalla