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wallah

or wal·la

[ wah-lah, -luh ]

noun

, Indian English.
  1. a person in charge of, employed at, or concerned with a particular thing (used in combination):

    a book wallah; a ticket wallah.



wallah

/ ˈwɒlə /

noun

  1. informal.
    usually in combination a person involved with or in charge of (a specified thing)

    the book wallah



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Word History and Origins

Origin of wallah1

First recorded in 1770–80; from Hindi -wālā, an adjective suffix meaning “connected with, pertaining to,” also a noun suffix meaning “person in charge” (functionally equivalent to the English agent noun suffix -er 1( def ) ); from Prakrit, Sanskrit pāla- “protector,” a derivative of the root pā- “to protect”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of wallah1

C18: from Hindi -wālā from Sanskrit pāla protector

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Example Sentences

Malcolm understood instantly that his native companion had found the ekka-wallah more communicative.

Mr. Fumigator-Wallah is not the least busy of the more retiring members of a war-hospital staff.

There may be many who will readily disagree with my disparagement of the Indian Jadoo-wallah.

A box wallah with his attendant coolie, staggering under the weight of a huge box of Manchester goods, hurries by.

"Ah, yes; but your wallah frequently falls asleep at his work," you remark to the resident.

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