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lollipop woman

lollipop woman

6.5
A woman who stops traffic to help children cross near a school
  • noun
  • UK
translation icon : mujer de la paleta
  • The lollipop woman stopped traffic so the children could cross the street safely.

Examples

  • The new lollipop woman wears a bright yellow jacket and carries a large stop sign.

  • Every morning, the lollipop woman helps children cross safely.

  • Every morning, the friendly lollipop woman greets the students by the school gate.

  • The lollipop woman waved her sign to stop traffic.

  • Every morning, the friendly lollipop woman greets the students by the school gate.

  • The lollipop woman stopped traffic so the children could cross the street safely.

  • The new lollipop woman wears a bright yellow jacket and carries a large stop sign.

Synonyms

lollipop lady
vslollipop woman
  • UK
7.0

A woman who helps children cross the road near a school while holding a stop sign

is the neutral female wording rather than the informal alternative
lollipop man
vslollipop woman
  • UK
6.6

A person who stops traffic to help children cross the road near a school

is the same role but performed by a worker of the opposite gender

How Official

police officer
560 1.1
lollipop woman
  • UK
6.5
volunteer
7 3.5
helper
79 1.0

Surface Forms

lollipop woman singular

Morphology

lollipop + woman

The meaning 'crossing guard who holds a stop sign' is not directly derivable from 'lollipop' (a candy on a stick) + 'woman' — a B1 learner would more likely infer a woman who sells or eats lollipops. The occupational/metaphorical use is culturally specific (UK) and relies on knowing the stop-sign nickname, so the sense is unpredictable without prior exposure.

Etymology

Lollipop woman comes from the round 'stop sign' she carries that looks like a lollipop, and the woman who stands in the road to stop traffic was named after it. So, the term means 'a woman who helps children cross the road safely'.