bozo

Meaning

A stupid, foolish, or ridiculous person, especially a man.

Synonyms

fathead

twat

turkey

asshole

jackass

jerk

cat

😺

zany

cuckoo

goof

goofball

guy

goose

🪿

hombre

muggins

nincompoop

nitwit

noddy

nozzle

numskull

oaf

pipe

pipeline

rod

shithead

smoking pipe

square

sucker

tube

twerp

twirp

twit

tyke

berk

dumbass

tike

Sorko

dick-head

canal

chump

conduit

dork

duct

dunderhead

fellow

fool

galoot

goon

idiot

lame

Translations

bozo

oie

🪿

idiota

imbecil

Barre

Kanal

Pfeife

Männerrock

Rohr

Röhre

Rohrleitung

Schlauch

Stange

Steigleitung

imbècil

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbəʊ.zəʊ/

Etymology

Attested since the 1910s in American English, of uncertain origin. The term may derive from Spanish bozal, a term originally for a recently-imported slave and then "someone who speaks (Spanish) poorly". The term is older than Bozo the Clown, introduced in 1946. It is used as an insult in the 1931 Marx Brothers movie Monkey Business (1931 film). Derivation of the term from French bouseux /bu.zø/, a derogative term for a farmer equivalent to "bumpkin", is phonologically unlikely. Another possibility is Japanese 坊主 (bōzu) in its meaning of "young man", which can be derogatory, depending on the context.