Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nollywood

/ˈnɑ.li.wʊd/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.50 in modern English

Syllables: Nol-ly-wood
IPA: /ˈnɑ.li.wʊd/

16

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

The Nigerian film industry.

Informal

Example Sentences

"After the film was released, the actor Nkem Owoh became part of the 'Big Five' (ie the five most well-paid actors in Nollywood)."
"Nollywood films are defined by excess, where the borders that frame the images, the sentiments, the characters—the symbolic order and its limits—are violated dramatically and systematically, as in the mannerism of the neobaroque."
"Video parlors, which are still the most popular outlet for Nollywood film screenings across Africa, do not run African auteur films, and the film festivals of Ouagadougou, Carthage, Durban, and Zanzibar do not accept Nollywood films into their main competitions."

Etymology

Blend of Nigeria + Hollywood.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈnɑ.li.wʊd/
British English: /ˈnɒ.li.wʊd/

Usage

Informal

Rhymes With

hollywood bollywood tollywood kollywood mollywood lollywood trollywood pollywood dhollywood gollywood

Questions

How do you pronounce nollywood?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnɑ.li.wʊd/.
What does nollywood mean?: The Nigerian film industry.
Where does nollywood come from?: Blend of Nigeria + Hollywood.

How to pronounce nollywood

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nollywood”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnɑ.li.wʊd/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nollywood”.
Repeat and practice — Say “nollywood” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.