Polari is the name of a form of slang that was once used in Britain by actors, circus and fairground showmen, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals, prostitutes, and the gay subculture. It was around at least as early as the 19th century and possibly as early as the 16th century (it is closely related to Parlyaree, which has been in use at least the 17th century).
It was used by the gay subculture until the 1960’s. You’ve probably heard the language spoken in Doctor Who, Doom Patrol, Filth Rich and Catflap, Velvet Goldmine, or Dragon Quest, sometimes subtitled like a foreign language. What does Polari look like?
Here are the first twelve numbers in Polari:
Numbers:
| Number | Definition |
|---|---|
| medza | half |
| una, oney | one |
| dooey | two |
| tray | three |
| quarter | four |
| chinker | five |
| say | six |
| say oney, setter | seven |
| say dooey, otter | eight |
| say tray, nobber | nine |
| daiture | ten |
| long dedger, lepta | eleven |
| kenza | twelve |
Here’s a more comprehensive Polari glossary. You may recognize some of the words. Some Polari phrases have worked their way into our everyday language.
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| acdc, bibi | bisexual |
| ajax | nearby (shortened form of “adjacent to”) |
| alamo! | they’re attractive! |
| arva | to have sex |
| aunt nell | listen! |
| aunt nells | ears |
| aunt nelly fakes | earrings |
| barney | a fight |
| bat, batts, bates | shoes |
| bevvy | drink |
| bitch | effeminate or passive man |
| bijou | small/little |
| bitaine | whore |
| blag | pick up |
| bona | good |
| bona nochy | goodnight |
| butch | masculine woman |
| buvare | a drink; something drinkable |
| cackle | talk/gossip |
| camp | effeminate |
| capello, capella, capelli, kapella | hat |
| carsey, karsey, khazi | toilet |
| cats | trousers |
| charper | to search or to look |
| charpering omi | policeman |
| chicken | young man |
| clobber | clothes |
| cod | bad |
| corybungus | backside, posterior |
| cove | taxi |
| dhobi / dhobie / dohbie | wash |
| dinari | money |
| dish | buttocks |
| dolly | pretty, nice, pleasant |
| dona | woman |
| ecaf | face |
| eek | face |
| ends | hair |
| esong, sedon | nose |
| fambles | hands |
| fantabulosa | fabulous/wonderful |
| farting crackers | trousers |
| feele / feely / filly | child/young |
| feele omi / feely omi | young man |
| flowery | lodgings, accommodations |
| fogus | tobacco |
| fortuni | gorgeous, beautiful |
| fruit | gay man |
| fungus | old man/beard |
| gelt | money |
| handbag | money |
| hoofer | dancer |
| irish | wig |
| jarry | food |
| jubes | breasts |
| kaffies | trousers |
| khazi | toilet, also spelt carsey |
| lacoddy | body |
| lallies / lylies | legs |
| lallie tappers | feet |
| latty / lattie | room, house or flat |
| lau | lay or place upon |
| lavs | words |
| lills | hands |
| lilly | police |
| lyles | legs |
| lucoddy | body |
| luppers | fingers |
| mangarie | food |
| manky | worthless |
| martinis | hands |
| measures | money |
| medzer | half |
| medzered | divided |
| meese | plain, ugly |
| meshigener | nutty, crazy, mental |
| meshigener carsey | church |
| metzas | money |
| mince | walk affectedly |
| mogue | deceive |
| munge | darkness |
| naff | awful, dull, hetero |
| nana | evil |
| nanti | not, no, none |
| national handbag | dole, welfare, government financial assistance |
| nishta | nothing |
| ogle | look admiringly |
| ogles | eyes |
| oglefakes | glasses |
| omi | man |
| onk | nose |
| orbs | eyes |
| orderly daughters | police |
| oven | mouth |
| palare / polari pipe | telephone |
| palliass | back |
| park, parker | give |
| plate | feet |
| palone | woman |
| pots | teeth |
| reef | touch |
| rozzer | policeman |
| riah / riha | hair |
| riah zhoosher | hairdresser |
| scarper | to run off |
| scharda | shame |
| schlumph | drink |
| schmutter | apparel |
| schooner | bottle |
| scotch | leg |
| screech | mouth, speak |
| screeve | write |
| sharpy | policeman |
| sharpy polone | policewoman |
| shush | steal |
| shush bag | hold-all |
| shyker / shyckle | wig |
| slap | makeup |
| stimps | legs |
| stimpcovers | stockings, hosiery |
| strides | trousers |
| strillers | piano |
| switch | wig |
| thews | thighs |
| tober | road; temporary site for a circus, carnival |
| todd (Sloan) or tod | alone |
| troll | to walk about (esp. looking for trade) |
| vada / varder | to see |
| vera (lynn) | gin |
| vogue | cigarette |
| vogueress | female smoker |
| wallop | dance |
| yeute | no, none |
| yews | eyes |
| zhoosh | style hair, tart up, mince |
| zhooshy | showy |
