Foley

American

[foh-lee] / ˈfoʊ li /

adjective

of or relating to motion-picture sound effects produced manually.

a Foley artist.

foley British

/ ˈfəʊlɪ /

noun

films the US name for footsteps editor

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Foley

After Jack Foley, sound-effect pioneer at Universal Pictures in the 1930s

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.

When he cooks, Foley said he often reaches for McCormick’s recipe mixes, made for easy addition to tacos, gyros or Korean BBQ.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

The 43-year-old has done an outstanding job at Bournemouth since chairman Bill Foley made the surprise decision to sack the well-regarded Gary O'Neil and replace him with Iraola in June 2023.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

“The Unilever Foods business is one we have long admired, with a portfolio that complements our existing business, capabilities and long-term vision,” Foley said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Among Wonder Project’s recent shows is “It’s Not Like That,” a romance starring Scott Foley as a widowed pastor who falls for a divorced woman played by Erinn Hayes.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

Then they followed the map to the Foley house.

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023