folia

¹

[ foh-lee-uh ]

noun

1. plural of folium.

folia

²

[ fuh-lee-uh ]

noun

1. a wild and noisy Portuguese carnival dance accompanied by tambourines, performed at a frantic pace by men dressed as women and often carrying masked boys on their shoulders.

folía

³

[ Spanish faw-lee-ah ]

noun

, plural fo·lí·as [faw-, lee, -ahs].

1. an early medieval Iberian dance accompanied by mime and songs, performed during celebrations of the solstice and New Year festivals.

folia

/ ˈfəʊlɪə /

noun

1. the plural of folium

Word History and Origins

Origin of folia¹

folía

Origin of folia²

1780–85; < Spanish folía or Portuguese folia literally, madness, folly ≪ Old Provençal, equivalent to fol foolish, mad + -ia -y ³; fool ¹, folly