lolly

The word 'lolly' originated in 19th-century British English as a pet form of the given name 'Lolly'. It was subsequently applied as a colloquial term for a type of candy, likely due to the sweet and pleasant connotations associated with a pet name. The specific association with a hard candy on a stick became prominent in the mid-20th century. The informal British slang meaning for 'money' developed later, following a common metaphorical pattern where sweet or desirable things are used to refer to cash.

This word is a simplex form. It is a diminutive or pet form derived from the given name 'Lolly', itself a short form of 'Lora' or 'Laura'. Its use as a term for candy is an example of a brand name or pet name becoming a generic term.