How to pronounce trolley
Say it like TROL-ee. Trolley has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TROL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce trolley. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TROL
- ee
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Trolley pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TROLSay 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 trolley
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: TROL-ee.
What does trolley mean?
- A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a trolleybus.
- A streetcar or light train.
- A light rail, tramway, trolleybus or streetcar system.
- To bring to by trolley.
- To use a trolley vehicle to go from one place to another.
- To travel by trolley (streetcar, trolleybus or light train).
Where does trolley come from?
Early 19th century (1823) meaning "cart", of dialectal origin (Suffolk), probably from troll (“to trundle, roll”) + -ey (diminutive ending).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with trolley
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of trolley.
Questions about saying trolley
How do you pronounce trolley?
Say TROL-ee. The American pronunciation is /ˈtrɑli/. In British English it is /ˈtrɒli/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in trolley?
Trolley has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TROL). Broken into parts: TROL · ee.
Is trolley 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 /ˈtrɒli/ (TROL-ee).