Meaning
A firefly or glow-worm — the little beetle that flashes its light in the dark of a Jamaican evening. A beloved image of country nights, peenie-wallies drift over yards and bush blinking on and off. The word is often used affectionately and appears in folk song and children's rhyme.
Examples
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Di peenie-wallie dem a light up di dark.
The fireflies are lighting up the dark.
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Wi ketch peenie-wallie inna bottle when wi likkle.
We caught fireflies in a bottle when we were little.
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Country night full a peenie-wallie.
Country nights are full of fireflies.
Origin
Likely of African or onomatopoeic origin; the reduplicated form is characteristic of Jamaican creature names. A staple of folk imagery.
How it’s used
A firefly/glow-worm; an affectionate image of Jamaican country nights and folk song. See [[croaking-lizard]], [[patoo]].