palooka

Meaning

1. (US, slang) A stupid, oafish or clumsy person.
2. (US) Someone incompetent or untalented.

Synonyms

stumblebum

bumpkin

dimwit

duffer

fiddler

galoot

gawk

half-wit

nincompoop

sad sack

slouch

tinkerer

washout

weenie

gubbins

blunderer

pampoen

Translations

Gimpel

Tölpel

nigaud

dadais

nicodème

dandin

gille

lomperik

boxeador de segunda

beceriksiz boksör

Pronounced as (IPA)

/pəˈluːkə/

Etymology

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).