DictionaryAI

folly

SayFOL-ee/ˈfɑli/UK/ˈfɒli/

Pluralfollies

4 meanings of folly

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable or uncountable
    Foolish behavior, or a foolish act or idea that can lead to trouble.

    It is folly to go hiking in the mountains without a map.

    Buying a boat when you can't swim seems like pure folly.

    UsageSay it is folly to do something.

    Similarfoolishness, madness, stupidity, lunacy, idiocy

    Oppositewisdom, sense, prudence

  2. 2
    fancy buildingnouncountable or uncountable
    A fancy building made only for decoration, not to be used.

    At the end of the garden there is a little stone folly that looks like a castle.

    The rich family built a folly on the hill just because they liked looking at it.

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 3
    noundialectal
    A group of trees standing together, often on the top of a hill or in an open field.
  2. 4
    verbdialectal
    To go after someone, or to go along a path or line.
    "Anybody got the makin's?" he said. "That's one hell of a thick bunch of canvas, but I follied the seam."
    2002, Richard Kilroy O'Malley, Hobo: A Depression Odyssey

Practice

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Origin

From Old French folie, meaning “madness”.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 1 fact