ENGLISH
REFERENCE

trolley

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈtɹɑɫi// UK //tɹˈɒli// trol·ley Informal

n. a large metal basket on wheels that you use to carry your shopping in a supermarket. You can also use this word for a small table on wheels for serving food.

n. a large metal basket on wheels used for transporting goods, especially in a retail environment. Refers also to a small wheeled table used for serving food or drink.


SIMPLE

I filled the trolley with groceries for the week.

CONTEXTUAL

The supermarket provides several rows of trolleys near the entrance for customers to use.

COMPLEX

The flight attendant pushed the heavy refreshment trolley down the narrow aisle, offering coffee and snacks to the passengers.

Synonyms
Origin

Early 19th century (1823) meaning "cart", of dialectal origin (Suffolk), probably from troll (“to trundle, roll”) + -ey (diminutive ending).

Usage

Commonly called a 'shopping cart' in American English; 'trolley' is the standard term in British and Australian English.

© 2026 English Reference