"wallah" meaning in English

See wallah in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adverb

IPA: /ˈwɑ(l.)lɑːh/, /wəˈlɑː(h)/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav [Southern-England]
Rhymes: -ɑː, -ɑːh Etymology: From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”). Etymology templates: {{der|en|ar|وَٱللّٰه|lit=by God}} Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”), {{root|en|ar|ء ل ه}} Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} wallah (not comparable)
  1. (Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath Tags: not-comparable Categories (topical): Islam, People Synonyms: wallahee, wallahi, wellah, wullah
    Sense id: en-wallah-en-adv-p-DEH~Bo Disambiguation of People: 45 0 28 24 2 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English heteronyms Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 9 15 33 4 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 41 6 26 22 5 Disambiguation of English heteronyms: 39 7 23 25 6 Topics: Islam, lifestyle, religion
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 2

Interjection

Etymology: A corruption of voilà. Etymology templates: {{m|en|voilà}} voilà Head templates: {{head|en|interjection}} wallah
  1. Voilà.
    Sense id: en-wallah-en-intj-U9aRJyup
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Etymology number: 3

Noun

IPA: /ˈwɑːlə/, /ˈwɒlə/ Audio: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah.wav [Southern-England] Forms: wallahs [plural]
Rhymes: -ɑːlə, -ɒlə Etymology: Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”). Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*peh₂-}}, {{der|en|hi|-वाला||pertaining to}} Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”), {{bor|en|hi|वाला||person in charge}} Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”) Head templates: {{en-noun}} wallah (plural wallahs)
  1. (India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah. Tags: India
    Sense id: en-wallah-en-noun-RAI7jQrN Categories (other): Indian English, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 9 15 33 4
  2. (India, historical) Short for competition wallah. Tags: India, abbreviation, alt-of, historical Alternative form of: competition wallah
    Sense id: en-wallah-en-noun-qtAdd0Z5 Categories (other): Indian English, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 38 9 15 33 4
  3. (British, slang) A guy or bloke. Tags: British, slang
    Sense id: en-wallah-en-noun-vEpvGBVN Categories (other): British English
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: waala, waalah, walah, wala, vaala, vaalah, valah Derived forms: boxwallah, boxwalla, compass wallah, competition wallah, dudhwallah, ground wallah, puncture-wallah, punkahwallah
Etymology number: 1

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for wallah meaning in English (6.5kB)

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "boxwallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "boxwalla"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "compass wallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "competition wallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "dudhwallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "ground wallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "puncture-wallah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "punkahwallah"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*peh₂-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hi",
        "3": "-वाला",
        "4": "",
        "5": "pertaining to"
      },
      "expansion": "Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hi",
        "3": "वाला",
        "4": "",
        "5": "person in charge"
      },
      "expansion": "Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wallahs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "wallah (plural wallahs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Indian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "38 9 15 33 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1931, George Orwell, A Hanging",
          "text": "Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah."
      ],
      "id": "en-wallah-en-noun-RAI7jQrN",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "competition wallah"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Indian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "38 9 15 33 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Short for competition wallah."
      ],
      "id": "en-wallah-en-noun-qtAdd0Z5",
      "links": [
        [
          "competition wallah",
          "competition wallah#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India, historical) Short for competition wallah."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India",
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "historical"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A guy or bloke."
      ],
      "id": "en-wallah-en-noun-vEpvGBVN",
      "links": [
        [
          "guy",
          "guy"
        ],
        [
          "bloke",
          "bloke"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, slang) A guy or bloke."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɑːlə/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɒlə/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːlə"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɒlə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "waala"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "waalah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "walah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "wala"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "vaala"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "vaalah"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "valah"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "وَٱللّٰه",
        "lit": "by God"
      },
      "expansion": "Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "ء ل ه"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "wallah (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Islam",
          "orig": "en:Islam",
          "parents": [
            "Abrahamism",
            "Religion",
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "38 9 15 33 4",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "41 6 26 22 5",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "39 7 23 25 6",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English heteronyms",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "45 0 28 24 2",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "en:People",
          "parents": [
            "Human",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath"
      ],
      "id": "en-wallah-en-adv-p-DEH~Bo",
      "links": [
        [
          "by God",
          "by God"
        ],
        [
          "Allah",
          "Allah"
        ],
        [
          "may God be my witness",
          "may God be my witness"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "wallahee"
        },
        {
          "word": "wallahi"
        },
        {
          "word": "wellah"
        },
        {
          "word": "wullah"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "Islam",
        "lifestyle",
        "religion"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɑ(l.)lɑːh/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wəˈlɑː(h)/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːh"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}

{
  "etymology_number": 3,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "voilà"
      },
      "expansion": "voilà",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A corruption of voilà.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "interjection"
      },
      "expansion": "wallah",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "intj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Voilà."
      ],
      "id": "en-wallah-en-intj-U9aRJyup"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English heteronyms",
    "English interjections",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms borrowed from Hindi",
    "English terms derived from Hindi",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *peh₂-",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːlə",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːlə/2 syllables",
    "Rhymes:English/ɒlə",
    "Rhymes:English/ɒlə/2 syllables",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "boxwallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "boxwalla"
    },
    {
      "word": "compass wallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "competition wallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "dudhwallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "ground wallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "puncture-wallah"
    },
    {
      "word": "punkahwallah"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*peh₂-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hi",
        "3": "-वाला",
        "4": "",
        "5": "pertaining to"
      },
      "expansion": "Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "hi",
        "3": "वाला",
        "4": "",
        "5": "person in charge"
      },
      "expansion": "Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”)",
      "name": "bor"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Either from Hindi -वाला (-vālā, “pertaining to”) or from Hindi वाला (vālā, “person in charge”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "wallahs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "wallah (plural wallahs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Indian English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1931, George Orwell, A Hanging",
          "text": "Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India) A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified before it, for example kitchen wallah."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India"
      ]
    },
    {
      "alt_of": [
        {
          "word": "competition wallah"
        }
      ],
      "categories": [
        "English short forms",
        "English terms with historical senses",
        "Indian English"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Short for competition wallah."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "competition wallah",
          "competition wallah#English"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(India, historical) Short for competition wallah."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "India",
        "abbreviation",
        "alt-of",
        "historical"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "British English",
        "English slang"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A guy or bloke."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "guy",
          "guy"
        ],
        [
          "bloke",
          "bloke"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, slang) A guy or bloke."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "British",
        "slang"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɑːlə/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɒlə/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːlə"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɒlə"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a2/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "waala"
    },
    {
      "word": "waalah"
    },
    {
      "word": "walah"
    },
    {
      "word": "wala"
    },
    {
      "word": "vaala"
    },
    {
      "word": "vaalah"
    },
    {
      "word": "valah"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 2-syllable words",
    "English adverbs",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English heteronyms",
    "English interjections",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Arabic",
    "English terms derived from the Arabic root ء ل ه",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑː",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑː/2 syllables",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːh",
    "Rhymes:English/ɑːh/2 syllables",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "وَٱللّٰه",
        "lit": "by God"
      },
      "expansion": "Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ar",
        "3": "ء ل ه"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Arabic وَٱللّٰه (wal-lāh, literally “by God”).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "wallah (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Islam"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "by God",
          "by God"
        ],
        [
          "Allah",
          "Allah"
        ],
        [
          "may God be my witness",
          "may God be my witness"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Islam) by God (Allah); may God be my witness. Used in making a solemn oath"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "Islam",
        "lifestyle",
        "religion"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈwɑ(l.)lɑːh/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/wəˈlɑː(h)/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑː"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-ɑːh"
    },
    {
      "audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/2e/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-wallah2.wav.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Southern-England"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (Southern England)"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "wallahee"
    },
    {
      "word": "wallahi"
    },
    {
      "word": "wellah"
    },
    {
      "word": "wullah"
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English heteronyms",
    "English interjections",
    "English lemmas",
    "en:People"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 3,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "voilà"
      },
      "expansion": "voilà",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "A corruption of voilà.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "interjection"
      },
      "expansion": "wallah",
      "name": "head"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "intj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "Voilà."
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "wallah"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-09 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (4d5d0bb and edd475d). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.