bozo

Attested since the 1910s in American English, of uncertain origin.[1][2] The term may derive from Spanish bozal, a term originally for a recently-imported slave and then "someone who speaks (Spanish) poorly".[3] The term is older than Bozo the Clown, introduced in 1946.[3] 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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbəʊ.zəʊ/

  • Audio (GA)

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  • Audio (AU)

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• Rhymes: -əʊzəʊ

bozo (plural bozos)

1. (slang) A stupid, foolish, or ridiculous person, especially a man. [from 1910s]
   • 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 51:

     ‘What’s the big bozo up to?’

• See also Thesaurus:fool

• zobo

• buzo

From Late Latin *buccĕus (“relating or belonging to the mouth”).[1] See bucca for more.

• IPA^(key): /ˈboθo̝/, (western) /ˈboso̝/

bozo m (plural bozos)

1. muzzle

   Synonyms: boceira, embozo, vetillo

2. pout
3. fish mouth
4. upper lip fluff

• bozal
• embozar

• boza

• “bozo” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006–2013.
• “bozo” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
• “bozo” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.

Borrowed from Medieval Latin *buccĕus (“relating or belonging to the mouth”). See bucca for more.

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /ˈboθo/ [ˈbo.θo]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America) /ˈboso/ [ˈbo.so]
• (Spain) Rhymes: -oθo
• (Latin America) Rhymes: -oso
• Syllabification: bo‧zo

bozo m (plural bozos)

1. down, peach fuzz (soft hair on the upper lip)
2. muzzle, mouth (exterior part of the mouth)
3. halter (for leading horses)

• lanugo
• vello

• “bozo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014

bozo

1. ball