telly

IPA/ˈteli/
KK[tˈɛli]IPA/ˈteli/

telly — noun

  • tellysingular
  • telliesplural

1. a television — this informal British word can refer to a television set itself,

1.nounB1
Definition

a television — this informal British word can refer to a television set itself, or to the programmes that are broadcast and watched on it

Example

Yara turned on the telly to watch the football match.

collocation: turn on the telly

There is nothing good on the telly tonight, so Reuben decided to read a book.

collocation: on the telly (what is being broadcast)

Common collocations
  • on the telly
  • watch telly
  • the telly is on / off
  • turn on / turn off the telly
  • sit in front of the telly
  • on TV / on the telly
Synonyms
  • television

    the standard formal term, used in both British and American English in all contexts

  • TV

    the common neutral abbreviation, used in both formal and informal settings in all varieties of English

  • gogglebox

    very informal British slang, less common than 'telly'; refers humorously to people staring at the screen

Usage Note

This word is very common in everyday British conversation but should not be used in formal or academic writing. The phrase 'on the telly' is the standard way to ask or talk about what programmes are being broadcast.

Common Mistakes

Please check the telly schedule on the website.
Please check the TV schedule on the website.
'telly' is too informal for written notices or official documents.
Idioms

on (the) telly

idiom

Being shown on television or appearing in a TV program.

There is a great documentary on the telly tonight.

Did you see the football match on telly last night?

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three words refer to the same device and its content, but they differ in register and variety. 'Television' is the full, neutral term suitable for any context, from academic writing to casual conversation. 'TV' (pronounced tee-vee) is a common abbreviation that works in both formal and informal settings, though it is slightly more casual than 'television'. 'Telly' is strictly informal British English — you would use it when chatting with friends or family in the UK, but not in a report, a job application, or with a North American audience. For example, a British person might say 'I saw it on the telly last night' to a friend, but write 'as seen on television' in a formal document.

television ↗TV ↗telly ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • watch telly
  • sit in front of the telly
  • the telly is on

Prepositions

  • on the telly

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

'Telly' is a shortening of 'television', formed by keeping the first syllable and adding the informal '-y' suffix that is common in British English (as in 'footy' for football, 'brekkie' for breakfast, 'comfy' for comfortable). The word 'television' itself comes from French 'télévision' (1930s), which was built from Greek 'tele-' meaning 'far' and Latin 'visio' meaning 'sight' or 'seeing'. 'Telly' first appeared in the 1940s as television became a part of everyday British life.