informal
used as a nickname for New Orleans
Jazz may have been born in NOLA at the turn of the century, but by the 1950s, the music of choice in New Orleans was rhythm & blues.B. Getz
After earning his degree from the Culinary Institute of New Orleans, [Chef Michael] Magee went on to work with top tier NOLA chefs including James Corwell, John Besh and Michael Gulotta.Lori Fredrich

Examples of NOLA in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And this season will give a taste of what (Jackson) is going to do in NOLA King. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Sep. 2025 Such was the case for Dakar NOLA's chef Serigne Mbaye, who spent nearly a decade cooking French food—in culinary school and French restaurants, including Atelier Crenn (number 46)—before embracing his roots. Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 26 Sep. 2025 There is also the upcoming spinoff, NOLA King, starring Jackson. Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025 That restaurant has been a cultural institution in NOLA for decades even loved by our forever President Barack Obama. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025 Erickson, who recently also stepped down as showrunner of the upcoming Tulsa King spinoff series, NOLA King, starring Samuel L. Jackson, will now focus solely on Mayor of Kingstown. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025 Residents who first left NOLA for Houston and Nashville and Atlanta as refugees decided to stay gone. Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025 Boats are on the scene amid the search for him, per NOLA News. Escher Walcott, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025 Try-Me Coffee Roasters delivers door-to-door in NOLA, and ships nationwide. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 9 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Orleans + LA, abbreviation for Louisiana

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of NOLA was in 1958

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“NOLA.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/NOLA. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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