wop

The story

1. Spanish · borrowed fromguapo“bold, handsome”
2. Neapolitan · borrowed fromguappo“dude, stud”
3. English todaywop

From Neapolitan guappo (“dude, stud”), a greeting borrowed from Spanish guapo (“bold, handsome”). Contrary to popular belief, the term is not an acronym of without passport or working off passage, which are backronyms derived from the term. First attested in New York City around 1906, eventually also spreading to Canada, Australia, and Britain.

Words from the same roots