NYT Dictionary
PALOOKA
/pəˈluːkə/NounPA-loo-kapa-loo-ka · 3 syllablesGrade 9
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018
Meaning
A stupid, oafish or clumsy person.
Etymology
Origin: Unknown
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).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2018.