Folly

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈfɑli/

Definitions

1. A foolish or senseless act, idea, or practice that shows a lack of good judgment or wisdom
2. The quality of making unwise decisions or acting without sense ; a project or action that is wasteful or unwise to pursue ; a decorative structure built mainly for show rather than function
3. A failure to use judgment or reason leading to imprudent behavior ; an enterprise or scheme that is impractical and often expensive ; a fanciful or ornamental construction serving no real practical use

Etymology: Folly in its sense of unwise conduct comes from Old French "folie," meaning "madness," which itself grew from the adjective "fol," meaning "mad" or "insane." English took it in during the Middle Ages, so the core idea was once close to derangement rather than mere foolishness. The shift from "crazy" to "silly" happened gradually, and the emotional force of the older sense still lingers in phrases about acting foolishly against your own interest. The architectural sense is a different story, and it is less settled. Garden buildings and tower-like structures built for show rather than use were called follies, and the name is often thought to have been applied to places with such ornamental constructions. Yet many places bearing the name hold no such building, so the link is doubtful. The most widely favoured alternative traces the name to a clump of trees. On this view it relates to French "feuille" (leaf), "feuillée" (a leafy bower) and English "foliage," so a place named for its leafy thicket might later have acquired a building of the same name.

Synonyms: foolishness, absurdity, idiocy, lunacy, madness

Antonyms: wisdom, sagacity, sense, intelligence, judgment