bozo

See also Bozo

English

Etymology

1. Originating c. 1910. Maybe from Spanish bozal, a term used in slave trade and meaning "one who speaks Spanish poorly."
2. First used in USA English as a vocative, from Spanish vosotros = "you": compare buster#Etymology.
3. After Bozo the Clown, a clown character very popular in the USA in the 1950s
4. After Anselm of Canterbury's usage of the early continental European Germanic-origin personal name Boso.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -əʊzəʊ

Noun

bozo (plural bozos)

1. (slang) A stupid or foolish person.

Derived terms

• bozotic

Translations

(slang) A stupid or foolish person

• Russian: тупица (ru) (tupíca) m and f, придурок (ru) (pridúrok) m

References

Online Etymology Dictionary entry on "bozo"