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.
There is also the upcoming spinoff, NOLA King, starring Jackson. Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2025 And this season will give a taste of what (Jackson) is going to do in NOLA King. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 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 Jackson’s Russell is also set to lead his own spinoff series, NOLA King. Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 His character, Russell Lee Washington Jr., will be the lead in the upcoming spinoff NOLA King. Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 2 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

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Cite this Entry

“NOLA.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/NOLA. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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