When someone says something obvious or irrelevant.
Dude 1: Wow, the internet is full of porn!
Dude 2: O RLY?

Dude 1: have you ever known that there were 999 cases of heart attack in a time of 9999999999 seconds in the North Africa?
Dude 2:O RLY?
by bactac May 14, 2006
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What owls say when they require clarification of a previous comment.
Person: The USA should not have invaded Iraq as they only did this for the purposes of acquiring access to oil supplies. Other countries such as North Korea are far more secretive and uncontrolled as far as nuclear power are concerned, but they have no oil, so clearly their nuclear capabilities and human rights abuses are irrelevant.

Owl: o rly?
by peterigg June 1, 2006
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Means Oh Really?
Often used with a white owl, occasionally decked out in different costumes for uses such as "Quite Rly" (With a monocle and pipe) Often used for sarcasm or just to be an internet nerd.
#1: The sky is blue.
#2: O RLY?!

#1: Old chap, the sky appears to be quite sapphire today.
#2: Quite rly.
by Lupus Moon March 6, 2006
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Used as a verbal equivalent to the body language of the 'raised eyebrow'.
"Sometimes I like to walk around the house naked"

"O rly?"
by Luths March 13, 2006
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O RLY is simply a shorthand version of "Oh Really" It is often used on the internet to express either doubt or disinterest in something. O RLY is usually followed by YA RLY which is sometimes followed by NO Wai.

O RLY is commonly accompanied by a picture of an owl. The snowy white old was the original I RLY owl, and it started at a message board called 4chan. It's unknown as to why an owl was chosen to represent O RLY. It's probably because an owl's wise, inquisitive eyes are the perfect way to express the dubiety of a situation. The owl KNOWS.

Sometimes it is accompanied with boobies (the bird silly)
http://owlolboobies.ytmnd .com/ <O rly Owl with bird boobies

"-I say, old bean! I must express my astonishment of your claim!
Is this fact, or a clever ruse?

-I quite understand your disbelief. Sir, however I must say that me previous claim was indeed truthful!

-Great Scott!"
http://classytrilogy.ytmn d.com/ <source
by Jules Wiess December 2, 2006
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Used often in a "No Shit" kinda way, comes from a picture of a snow owl who had a look on his face that the photographer said looked like he was saying "O RLY?"
George Bush: The Iraqi's have weapons of mass destruction.
Owl: O RLY?
by Teh Pwnzorhax June 3, 2010
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O RLY is simply a shorthand version of "Oh Really" It is often used on the internet to express either doubt or disinterest in something. O RLY is usually followed by YA RLY which is sometimes followed by NO Wai.

O RLY is commonly accompanied by a picture of an owl. The snowy white old was the original I RLY owl, and it started at a message board called 4chan. It's unknown as to why an owl was chosen to represent O RLY. It's probably because an owl's wise, inquisitive eyes are the perfect way to express the dubiety of a situation. The owl KNOWS.

Sometimes it is accompanied with boobies (the bird silly)
http://owlolboobies.ytmnd.com/ <O rly Owl with bird boobies

"-I say, old bean! I must express my astonishment of your claim!
Is this fact, or a clever ruse?

-I quite understand your disbelief. Sir, however I must say that me previous claim was indeed truthful!

-Great Scott!"
http://classytrilogy.ytmnd.com/ <source
by Jules Wiess December 2, 2006
Get the o rly mug.