# Willie

/ˈwɪɫi/ (US) · /wˈɪli/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/willie
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a name

noun · CEFR A1

a short or friendly name for a man named William.

For teachers: a diminutive form of the male given name William, frequently used as a familiar address or nickname.

- Everyone in the village knew old Willie, who had lived there for eighty years.
- The biography explores how Willie, as he was known to his family, eventually transformed into the formidable statesman William Gladstone.

### 2. body part

noun · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

a word used by children or parents for the penis.

For teachers: a colloquial and often childish term for the penis. This spelling is an alternative to 'willy'.

- The little boy told his mother that he needed to wash his willie in the bath.
- The author uses 'willie' to maintain a juvenile perspective throughout the opening chapters of the memoir.

Usage: Usually used in a domestic or parental context; can sound overly childish or slightly embarrassing in adult conversation.

Teaching tip: This is the standard British 'nursery' term. In American English, 'pee-pee' or 'wiener' is more common for this specific register.

## Examples

- My uncle Willie lives in a small house by the sea.
- The local mechanic, known to everyone as Willie, has fixed cars in this neighborhood for thirty years.
- While his legal documents all bore the name William, he insisted that even his business associates address him as Willie to maintain a personable atmosphere.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.