ballyhoo
/bæliˈhuː/noun, verb
ballyhoo is spelled B-A-L-L-Y-H-O-O: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 100,430th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, ballyhoo means “Sensational or clamorous advertising or publicity” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of ballyhoo is ballyhoos.
How many letters and syllables are in ballyhoo?
| Letters | 8: B-A-L-L-Y-H-O-O |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | about once in every 11 million words; the 100,430th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is ballyhoo?
Ballyhoo appears about once in every 11 million words in written English, the 100,430th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce ballyhoo?
- /bæliˈhuː/
Ballyhoo has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-ballyhoo.ogg, En-au-ballyhoo.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of ballyhoo
- ballyhoos plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- ballyhooing participle, present
- ballyhooed participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does ballyhoo mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
informalSensational or clamorous advertising or publicity.
- 2
informalNoisy shouting or uproar.
- 3
Certain species in family Hemiramphidae, inshore, surface-dwelling needlefish forming sizeable schools.
- 4
Hemiramphus brasiliensis
- 5
An unseaworthy or slovenly ship.
verb
- 1
informalTo sensationalize or make grand claims.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Ballyhoo in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | battage , aiguillette |
| German | Klamauk , marktschreierisch anpreisen |
| Spanish | alboroto, jaleo , alborotar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does ballyhoo come from?
Uncertain. Perhaps a shortening of the Irish village Ballyhooly, known for its rowdiness.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).