Palooka Definition
pə-lo͝okə
palookas
noun
palookas
A clumsy or oafish fellow, esp. an inept athlete.
Webster's New World
A stupid or clumsy person.
American Heritage
(US, boxing, bridge and similar ventures) Someone incompetent or untalented in the specified area.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
Other Word Forms of Palooka
Noun
Singular:
palooka
Plural:
palookasOrigin of Palooka
-
Used in the US since the 1920s, originally primarily of boxers. Popularized by Jack Conway of Variety, who also popularized baloney and bimbo. Further popularized by Ham Fisher in his comic strip Joe Palooka, about a boxer (published in newspapers since 1930, particularly popular in 1940s).
From Wiktionary
-
Possibly from the Polish surname Paluka, or a variant of Polack.
From Wiktionary
Origin unknown
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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