Willy

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪli

From Middle English willy, willi, equivalent to will + -y. Cognate with Dutch willig ("obedient, hearsome"), German willig ("willing"), Swedish villig ("willing, agreeable").

Full definition of willy

Adjective

1. Willing; favourable; ready; eagre.
2. (UK dialectal, Scotland) Self-willed; willful.

Related terms

• ill-willy
• evil-willy

From Middle English wilȝe, from Old English wiliġ ("willow"). More at willow.

Noun

1. Alternative form of willow

From Middle English wilie, from Old English wiliġe, wileġe ("basket"), from Proto-Germanic *wiligō ("wicker basket"), from Proto-Indo-European *weliko- ("willow-tree"). More at weel, willow.

Noun

1. (UK dialectal) A willow basket.
2. (UK dialectal) A fish basket.

• Possibly a contraction of Latin membrum virile, male member (that is, the penis), a Latin term used in English in the nineteenth century; also possibly the simple use of a proper name as a pet name; compare dick, fanny and peter.

Alternative forms

• willie

Noun

1. (hypocoristic, slang, childish) the penis.
2. (UK) a person whom the speaker dislikes.

Synonyms