Kilroy
Kilroy
Pronunciation
Kilroy
IPA Phonetic Spelling: /ˈkɪlrɔɪ/
Syllable 1: /ˈkɪl/
/k/ - voiceless velar plosive
/ɪ/ - near-close near-front unrounded vowel
/l/ - alveolar lateral approximant
Syllable 2: /rɔɪ/
/r/ - alveolar approximant
/ɔɪ/ - open-mid back rounded to near-close near-front unrounded diphthong
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: Kilroy
Plural Noun: Kilroys
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A character, typically a cartoon-like drawing of a bald-headed figure with a long nose peering over a wall, often accompanied by the phrase "Kilroy was here." This graffiti, originating during World War II, was a popular symbol of American GIs and has since become a widespread cultural phenomenon representing presence and ubiquity.
Synonyms: signature, tag, calling card, mark
Antonyms: absence, void, anonymity
(By extension) A person who has been everywhere or seen everything; a person whose presence is unexpectedly found in many different places.
Synonyms: globetrotter, omnipresent person, ubiquitous figure
Antonyms: homebody, recluse, hermit
Examples of Use
Books
"The Kilroy of the title, who has been in and out of trouble for years, gets out of the slammer and goes to a small town in California. He intends to live a straight life but winds up getting involved in the affairs of the residents." (Book review for Kilroy by Christopher P. Lynch, The Sacramento Bee, March 2004)
The novel The Devil I Know is the latest work from Irish author Claire Kilroy, who has been widely acclaimed for her writing. (Faber, 2023)
Newspapers & Online Publications
"The phrase 'Kilroy was here,' which appeared wherever GIs landed during World War II, has made an appearance again, this time in the form of a sticker on a traffic sign at the corner of 5th and Main." (The Daily Journal, June 1989)
"In a new report on global travel trends, the CEO of the travel company Kilroy noted that younger generations are prioritizing unique, authentic experiences over traditional tourist destinations." (Kilroy.co.uk, 2024)
Entertainment
"The character of Kilroy in the Styx concept album Kilroy Was Here is a rock star in a dystopian future where rock music has been outlawed. He escapes from prison disguised as a robot to fight for the future of music." (Wikipedia, 2023)
"In a classic Bugs Bunny cartoon from 1948, 'Haredevil Hare,' a surprised Bugs lands on the moon, only to find the message 'Kilroy was here' scrawled on a rock." (ThoughtCo, April 2025)
Public Discourse
"During the discussion, the speaker referenced the popular British chat show Kilroy, which, for seventeen years, provided a platform for public debate on a range of social and political issues." (Public discourse, June 2025)
"At the National WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., there is a small, subtle carving of the 'Kilroy was here' character, a testament to its enduring legacy as a symbol of the American soldier." (Public discourse, 2017)
10 Famous Quotes Using Kilroy
"What matters is at the end of life, when you're about to pass into oblivion, that you've at least scratched 'Kilroy was here,' on the last wall of the universe." (William Faulkner, Lion in the Garden: Interviews with William Faulkner, 1962)
“I'm Kilroy! Kilroy!” (Dennis DeYoung, Mr. Roboto, 1983)
“The artist is of no importance. Only what he creates is important, since there is nothing new to be said. This is the artist's way of scribbling 'Kilroy was here' on the wall of the final and irrevocable oblivion through which he must someday pass.” (William Faulkner, The New York Times, March 1956)
“God is like Kilroy. He, too, sees it all.” (Peter Viereck, 1948)
“Clap my hands and jump for joy; I was here before Kilroy.” (Lillian Morrison, A Diller, a Dollar, 1955)
“A restless human heart always seeks to increase personal understanding and works to attain excellence.” (Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls)
"Wherever the GI went, there was Kilroy ahead of him." (Life Magazine, 1946)
"The phrase 'Kilroy was here' is one of the most enduring pieces of graffiti from World War II." (National Park Service, 2025)
"This is a story about a character named Kilroy from the Styx album Kilroy Was Here, a rock and roll star who has been imprisoned in a future where rock has been outlawed." (A user on a blog post, 2020)
"The mystery of World War II's most frequently chalked inscription — 'Kilroy was here' — apparently has been solved." (Nevada State Journal, December 1945)
Etymology
The name "Kilroy" has a clear origin but its connection to the famous phrase is a bit of a mystery. The name itself is an Irish surname, meaning "follower of the church" or "servant of the church." It's derived from the Irish Gaelic "Mac Giolla Ruaidh," which means "son of the red-haired youth."
However, the word "Kilroy" became famous because of the phrase "Kilroy was here." This piece of graffiti originated during World War II and became a ubiquitous symbol for American GIs. The most widely accepted story traces the phrase back to a real person: James J. Kilroy, a shipyard inspector in Quincy, Massachusetts.
His job was to check that a certain amount of work had been completed on ships being built for the war. To mark the work he had inspected, he would write "Kilroy was here" with a yellow crayon. Shipyard workers would then hide or paint over the marks. Soon, the phrase began appearing on ships being shipped out to fight in the war, and the GIs who found it began to adopt it as their own. It became a kind of in-joke, a way for soldiers to say, "I was here," and became an enduring symbol of the American presence in World War II.
Even though other stories exist about its origin, the one about James J. Kilroy is the one most often cited as the true etymology of the famous phrase.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Kilroy
Kilroy was here: This is the most famous phrase, originally a piece of graffiti from World War II. It signifies an unexpected presence, a mark left behind to say, "I was here," often in a place that is difficult to reach or in a remote location.
Like Kilroy: To be "like Kilroy" means to be everywhere or to show up in unexpected places, much like the graffiti did during the war.
To pull a Kilroy: This is an informal phrase meaning to leave a subtle but undeniable mark of one's presence.
A Kilroy moment: A moment where you discover a mark or sign that someone else was there before you in an unexpected place.
The Kilroy effect: The phenomenon of a symbol or phrase appearing in many different and unrelated locations, creating a sense of ubiquity.
To be a Kilroy of sorts: A way of describing someone who travels a lot and leaves a little bit of themselves or their mark wherever they go.
Kilroy's calling card: A clever or subtle way of making one's presence known without being there in person.
To leave a Kilroy: A variant of "to pull a Kilroy," meaning to leave a signature or tag in a place.
Ahead of Kilroy: This phrase suggests being the first to arrive somewhere or to do something, even before the ubiquitous Kilroy.
Kilroy's shadow: This idiom can refer to the sense of a presence that has just left, or to someone who seems to follow you everywhere.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of Kilroy from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
