How to pronounce folly
Say it like FOL-ee. Folly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce folly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- FOL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Folly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- FOLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of folly
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: FOL-ee.
What does folly mean?
- Foolishness that results from a lack of foresight or lack of practicality.“It would be folly to walk all that way, knowing the shops are probably shut by now.”
- Thoughtless action resulting in tragic consequence.“The purchase of Alaska from Russia was termed Seward's folly.”
- A fanciful building built for purely ornamental reasons.“A luncheonette in the shape of a coffee cup is particularly conspicuous, as is intended of an architectural duck or folly.”
- A clump of trees, particularly one on the crest of a hill (or sometimes on a stretch of open ground).
Where does folly come from?
Inherited from Middle English folie, from Old French folie (“madness”), from the adjective fol (“mad, insane”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with folly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of folly.
Questions about saying folly
How do you pronounce folly?
Say FOL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈfɑli/. In British English it is /ˈfɒli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in folly?
Folly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (FOL). Broken into parts: FOL · ee.
Is folly pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ˈfɒli/ (FOL-ee).