holla

[ hol-uh ]

/ ˈhɒl ə /

interjection

(used as an informal greeting.)

(an informal exclamation of enthusiasm, joy, etc.)

(used especially during a hunt) hallo.

Obsolete. cease! halt!

Nearby words

Also hol·lo [hol-oh] /ˈhɒl oʊ/.

Origin of holla

1500–50; < Middle French hola, equivalent to ho ‘ahoy’ + la ‘there’

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for holla

Here, Tommy, catch hold of him t'other side before he can holla.
Tom Brown's School Days|Thomas Hughes
They saw Theseus and called to him, "Holla, tall stranger at the door, what is your will to-day?"
Young Folks Treasury, Volume 2 (of 12)|Various
He was indeed a great master of this kind of vociferation, and had a holla proper for most occasions in life.
The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling|Henry Fielding
Then Theseus shouted to him, "Holla, thou valiant Pine-bender, hast thou two fir-trees left for me?"
Young Folks Treasury, Volume 2 (of 12)|Various

He meant he lived as far as a man's voice would carry with one yell and a holla.
A Knight of the Cumberland|John Fox Jr.

Word Origin and History for holla

holla

as a command to "stop, cease," 1520s, from French holà (15c.). As a command to get attention, from 1580s. As an urban slang form of holler (v.) and meaning "greet, shout out to," it was in use by 2003.