roly-poly
Short and round
Roly-poly describes someone or something pleasantly round and chubby, especially a child or small animal: a roly-poly toddler waddling across the room.
The term suggests endearing plumpness rather than criticism.
A roly-poly is also a small bug that curls into a ball when disturbed—the pill bug or woodlouse.
In British cooking, a roly-poly is a rolled pudding with jam.
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
- sowbugTerrestrial isopod
- isopodSeven-legged-pair crustacean
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
- doodlebugPit-digging insect larva
slater · curl · shell · garden · pest · decomposer · legs · antennae
Agreeably fat, well-filled
- pudgySlightly fat, softly round
- rotundRound and plump
- roundCurved like circle
- tubbySomewhat fat, endearingly
dumpy · portly · stout · cherubic · squat · chunky · cuddly · poly
Uncontrolled rolling descent
- somersaultFull-body forward rotation
- wobbleUnsteady side-to-side motion
- toddleWalk unsteadily, young
- waddleSwaying, clumsy gait
bounce · trundle · barrel · gambol · topple · teeter · lurch · bobble
Creamy thickened sweet dish
treacle · sponge · currants · raisins · golden syrup · British · traditional · comfort
pillbug
Land crustacean, rolls defensively
- sowbugTerrestrial isopod
- isopodSeven-legged-pair crustacean
- crustaceanAquatic arthropod with exoskeleton
doodlebug · slater · curl · shell · garden · pest · decomposer · legs · antennae · exoskeleton
plump
Agreeably fat, well-filled
tubby · dumpy · portly · stout · cherubic · squat · chunky · cuddly · poly · podgy
tumble
Uncontrolled rolling descent
- somersaultFull-body forward rotation
- wobbleUnsteady side-to-side motion
- toddleWalk unsteadily, young
waddle · bounce · trundle · barrel · gambol · topple · teeter · lurch · bobble · sway
pudding
Creamy thickened sweet dish
custard · treacle · sponge · currants · raisins · golden syrup · British · traditional · comfort · homemade
wobble
Unsteady side-to-side motion
- self-rightingAutomatically returns to upright
- tumblerFlat-bottomed drinking vessel
- weightedMade intentionally heavier
bottom-heavy · figurine · tilting · rocking · toddler · novelty · daruma · balancing · bobble
whimsical
Playfully fanciful or erratic
- lightheartedCheerful and without worry
- jovialCheerful and friendly
- merryCheerful and lively
cheerful · buoyant · childlike · endearing · affectionate · cute · charming · adorable · innocent · jolly
- pill bugspill bug
- woodlicepill bug, sow bug
- garden bugsant, aphid, bee, beetle, butterfly
- Reduplicativesbye-bye, mama, papa, haha, yo-yo
- small creaturesant, bee, beetle, butterfly, caterpillar
- British PuddingsChristmas pudding, sticky toffee pudding, bread and butter pudding, spotted dick, spotted dog