Dealy means: An object, especially a gadget, whose name the speaker currently cannot recall.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
dealy
(US, slang) An object, especially a gadget, whose name the speaker currently cannot recall.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1990 · no dated citations yetSeen in the wild
L. ["Women's Art at the World's Columbian Fair & Exposition, Chicago 1893"](http://arcadiasystems.org/academia/cassatt9.html#dealy).
Dealy** was a [Jesuit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuit "Jesuit") priest and the eleventh president of St.
Dealy** (November 12, 1861 – December 16, 1924) was an American [Major League Baseball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball "Major League Baseball") player.
Definitions
(US, slang) An object, especially a gadget, whose name the speaker currently cannot recall.
What's that dealy behind the cab with a chain hooked to it?
Dealy means: An object, especially a gadget, whose name the speaker currently cannot recall.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
dealy means: An object, especially a gadget, whose name the speaker currently cannot recall.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself.
“L. ["Women's Art at the World's Columbian Fair & Exposition, Chicago 1893"](http://arcadiasystems.org/academia/cassatt9.html#dealy).”
“Dealy** was a [Jesuit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuit "Jesuit") priest and the eleventh president of St.”
“Dealy** (November 12, 1861 – December 16, 1924) was an American [Major League Baseball](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball "Major League Baseball") player.”
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "dealy" (D)
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Semantically related
- odelay66%
(US, colloquial) Expressing approval or encouragement.
- doohickey66%
(slang, originally, US) A thing (used in a vague way to refer to something whose name one does not know or cannot recall).
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(Australia) Something that one does not readily recall the name of; a whatchamacallit.
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(slang) Freakish, weird or unusual.
- go-devil64%
(US, colloquial) A gadget or unspecified device, in various industries.