folderol
Americannoun
-
mere nonsense; foolish talk or ideas.
-
a trifle; gimcrack; gew-gaw.
noun
Etymology
Origin of folderol
First recorded in 1695–1705 and 1820–25 folderol for def. 2; originally as a nonsense refrain in songs; of obscure origin
Explanation
Folderol is nonsense or trivial foolishness. A politician might claim that her rival's proposals are nothing but folderol. There are a lot of words that mean nonsense, from malarkey to codswallop to twaddle, and folderol is yet another one. The word comes from the meaningless song refrain fol-de-rol, a variation on "tra la la," and first appeared in the 18th century. Later, it came to have the additional meaning of "cheap, showy trifle or gewgaw." Some people decide to elope when they get married, instead of having an elaborate wedding full of folderol.
Vocabulary lists containing folderol
Gone with the Wind
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Madman of Piney Woods
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Pony
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In other words, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment with much of this bucket-list folderol.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025
Some of the accompanying folderol does merit deeper reflection, however.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 9, 2025
Even though the holiday was always a very popular holiday in Germany, Hitler found it to be an insipid drain on the national will, what with all the "peace on earth" folderol.
From Salon ● Dec. 22, 2023
But to be willing to put up with this fevered folderol, only to support other victims, does grow my respect for both Newsoms.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 28, 2022
Let them be children, excited by the prospects of music, marching, and folderol.
From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
