What does lolly mean?
A lolly, in the sense most familiar to British speakers, is a portion of flavoured ice or a frozen dessert sold on a stick. The term is especially associated with childhood treats such as fruit-flavoured ice lollies, and an ordinary example might be buying one from a shop or kiosk on a warm day. In British English, "lolly" can also mean a small lollipop or another hard sweet on a stick, though the context often makes the intended meaning clear. American speakers generally use "popsicle" or "ice pop" for the frozen confection, making "lolly" less common and more recognisably regional there. The word is informal rather than technical and often carries a nostalgic or lighthearted association with childhood, summer, and simple pleasure. Its usefulness lies partly in expressing a familiar cultural distinction: the same object may be called a popsicle in one English-speaking region and a lolly in another.
A sweet, typically flavoured ice or frozen confection on a stick.
"She chose a purple ice lolly from the freezer."
Chiefly British; American speakers usually say "popsicle" or "ice pop."
A hard sweet on a stick, especially a small round lollipop.
"The child was given a lolly after the ceremony."
This use occurs chiefly in British English and is more context-dependent than the frozen-sweet sense.
The standard British plural is "lollies," with the second “l” doubled before the vowel-suffix "-ies".
"They chose their favourite flavours from a large box of lollies."
If a British child asks for a lolly, expect something cold and fruity; in most of the United States, the same request would probably produce a popsicle.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lolly come from?
The word developed as a shortened form of "lollipop," a term for a sweet on a stick. The longer word appeared in the 19th century and was also written as "lollypop," before the shorter form became established. The ultimate origin of "lollipop" is disputed, so it is safer to treat it as the shared source rather than assign a certain foreign-language derivation.
How lolly is actually used
The word is informal and especially associated with British English. "Ice lolly" is an unambiguous compound; the shorter "lolly" can also denote a lollipop and may therefore be context-dependent.
Easily confused with lolly
A lolly can refer to a hard sweet on a stick, but in British English "lollipop" often emphasizes the round, swirled sweet, whereas "ice lolly" specifically means a frozen sweet.
"Lol" is an informal written expression meaning "laughing out loud," whereas "lolly" is usually a sweet rather than an expression of laughter.