Meanings
bozo1
plural bozos
- slangA stupid, foolish, or ridiculous person, especially a man.First known use 1910s
‘What’s the big bozo up to?’
1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 51
Bozo2
plural Bozos
- A member of a West African ethnic group located predominantly along the Niger River in Mali, famous for their fishing
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna man who is a stupid incompetent fool
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
bozo · noun
- Spanishbozal
- Englishbozo
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.
More words from Spanish
Full word history & related roots →Bozo · noun, proper noun
Thought to derive from the Bambara language, meaning "bamboo house".
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Hindi चपड़गंजू
- चपड़गंजू (capaṛgañjū)(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Hungarian tökfej, kretén
- tökfej(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- kretén(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- idióta(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- marha(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- hülye(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- ostoba pofa/csávó/alak/ürge/ipse(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Indonesian orang bodoh
- orang bodoh(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Polish głupek, palant
- głupek(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- palant(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- przygłup(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Russian тупи́ца, приду́рок
- тупи́ца (tupíca)(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- приду́рок (pridúrok)(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- дура́к (durák)(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Swedish dåre, pappskalle
- dåre(slang) a stupid or foolish person
- pappskalle(slang) a stupid or foolish person
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with bozo
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
bozo. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bozo
“bozo.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bozo. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “bozo,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/bozo.
Source: bozo on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.