What does delly mean?
Delly is an informal American shortening of delicatessen, referring to a shop that sells prepared foods — most characteristically Jewish-style specialties such as pastrami, corned beef, smoked fish, rye bread, and pickles. Like its far more common rival spelling 'deli,' it can also denote the food itself, as in picking up a sandwich or a quarter-pound of potato salad from the delly. The double-l spelling is now distinctly old-fashioned, conjuring the Jewish delis of mid-century New York and other eastern cities more than the generic sandwich shops of today. Because 'deli' dominates modern usage, 'delly' appears mainly in historical writing, family recollection, and signage preserved from earlier decades. For readers, it is best understood as a nostalgic variant: same shop, same towering sandwiches, but spelled with a touch of yesterday.
Informal term for a delicatessen, especially one selling Jewish-style prepared foods.
"Grandpa still insists the best chopped liver comes from the delly, not the supermarket."
Chiefly US and dated relative to 'deli'; used for nostalgic or period effect.
Food purchased from a delicatessen.
"He brought back a bag of delly for lunch — salami, mustard, and a fresh onion roll."
Standard pluralization; rarely needed, as the word usually appears in reference to a single neighborhood shop.
"The city once had dellies on nearly every block of the Lower East Side."
Before 'deli' took over the menu board, New York's sandwich counters were just as often spelled 'delly' — a little extra L with a lot of extra mustard.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of delly
Delly derives from delicatessen, a word English borrowed from German in the nineteenth century, which in turn traces to French délicatesse, ultimately from Latin delicatus meaning 'giving pleasure, dainty.' As speakers clipped the long borrowed word for everyday use, both 'deli' and the variant 'delly' emerged, chiefly in American urban communities where delicatessens flourished. The double-l form was common enough in early- and mid-twentieth-century American usage to appear in shop signs and newspapers, though 'deli' eventually became the standard shortened form.
How delly is actually used
Delly is informal and chiefly American, and it is markedly less common than the standard short form 'deli.' It carries a nostalgic, old-fashioned flavor, often evoking mid-twentieth-century Jewish-American neighborhoods. Writers today generally use 'deli' unless deliberately aiming for period color.
Easily confused with delly
Deli is the standard, far more common shortening of delicatessen, while delly is a less common regional variant spelling of the same word.