Meaning & Definition of Folly in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: A lack of understanding or sense.

  Example Sentence: His folly in spending all his savings on a car was evident when he could not pay his rent.

• Definition: A foolish act or idea.

  Example Sentence: Climbing that mountain in the winter was a sheer folly.

• Definition: The state or quality of being foolish.

  Example Sentence: The folly of youth often leads to risky decisions.

• Definition: An excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking.

  Example Sentence: The project was deemed a folly after it went over budget without any return.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English from Old French 'folie', from 'fol', meaning 'foolish'.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• fool's folly: A foolish act or decision made by someone perceived as naïve.
• a folly of youth: The reckless or ill-advised actions taken by young people.
• political folly: Poor decisions made in politics that lead to negative outcomes.

Translations

• Spanish: locura

• French: folie

• German: Töricht

• Russian: безумие

Related Words

• fool: A person who acts unwisely or imprudently.

• foolish: Having or showing a lack of good sense or judgment.

• folly's end: A state in which foolishness has been recognized and corrected.

Slang Meanings of folly

• Meaning: Making a foolish mistake.

  Example Sentence: That was a total folly, man.

• Meaning: Acting without thinking, usually leading to trouble.

  Example Sentence: He always gets in trouble; it's just one folly after another.