: a cord with weights attached to the ends for throwing at and entangling an animal

Illustration of bola

Illustration of bola

Examples of bola 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.
No one has seen the seventh kind, the fearsome Night Fury, until Hiccup manages to knock one out of the sky with a homemade bola contraption. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 June 2025 Arizona has a state firearm (the Colt Single Action revolver) and a state neckwear (the bola tie). Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 28 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish bolas, from Spanish bola ball

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bola was in 1818

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bola.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bola. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

plural bolas
-ləz
: a cord with weights attached to the ends for throwing at and entangling an animal
Etymology

American Spanish bolas "bola," from Spanish bola "ball"

More from Merriam-Webster on bola

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