folderol

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folderol

/ˈfɒldəɹəl/ UK
/ˈfɔldəɹɔl/ US

Where it comes from

Originally a nonsense refrain in songs, since circa 1701, as "fal, al, deral!", and 1820, used to make the song longer without adding more meaningful content (see non-lexical vocables in music). Compare falleri, fallera, extended as falleralla or fallerallera, in Swedish and German songs.

noun folderols · fol-de-rol · fol de rol · falderal

uncountable Nonsense or foolishness. William Maclay, a Pennsylvania Democrat and a senator, was a watchdog against the development of any monarchial folderol gathering about the office of the president.
Similar: fandangle, foolishness, nonsense
countable A decorative object of little value; a trifle or gewgaw. And they made a mistake there: the prizes were a lot of folderols and doodads like poetry books and illustrated Testaments, instead of something a real live kid would want to work for, like real cash or a speedometer for his motor cycle.
Similar: bauble, fandangle, gewgaw, trifle, trinket

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MLA

"folderol." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/folderol. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

folderol. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/folderol

Chicago

"folderol." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/folderol.

BibTeX

@misc{folderol_2026,
  title = {folderol},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/folderol},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}