How to pronounce jolly
Say it like JOL-ee. Jolly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce jolly. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- JOL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Jolly pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- JOLSay 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 jolly
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: JOL-ee.
What does jolly mean?
- full of or showing high-spirited merriment“when hearts were young and gay”“a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company”
- a happy party
- a yawl used by a ship's sailors for general work
- be silly or tease one another“After we relaxed, we just kidded around”
Where does jolly come from?
It is uncertain whether the Old French word is from Old Norse jól ("a midwinter feast, Yule", hence "fest-ive"), in which case, equivalent to yule + -ive, compare Dutch jolig (“happy, festive, frolicsome, jolly”), West Frisian joelich, joal
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with jolly
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of jolly.
Questions about saying jolly
How do you pronounce jolly?
Say JOL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈdʒɑli/. In British English it is /ˈdʒɒli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in jolly?
Jolly has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (JOL). Broken into parts: JOL · ee.
Is jolly 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 /ˈdʒɒli/ (JOL-ee).