wallah
English
Etymology
From Hindi -wālā 'man, person in charge', from Sanskrit pāla 'protector'
Noun
wallah (plural wallahs)
- Template:India A servant or other person responsible for something, often specified after it, for example kitchen wallah.
- 1931 - Kindly take one of my cigarettes, sir. Do you not admire my new silver case, sir? From the boxwallah, two rupees eight annas. - A Hanging, George Orwell
- Template:British A guy or bloke.
Derived terms
Interjection
Wallah! (WA-luh!)
1. Arabic/Hebrew slang term indicating surprise.
References
- Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967