# bozo
## English
### 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. 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.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈbəʊ.zəʊ/
** Audio (General American):(file)
** Audio (General Australian):(file)
* Rhymes: -əʊzəʊ

### Noun

bozo (plural bozos)
* (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?’

#### Synonyms

* See also Thesaurus:fool

#### Derived terms

* bozo bin
* bozo eruption
* bozo filter
* bozoid
* bozon
* bozone layer
* bozosity
* bozotic
* Obozo

#### References

* ↑ “bozo”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
* ↑ “bozo”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
* 1 2 Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “bozo”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

### Anagrams

* zobo

## Galician
### Alternative forms

* buzo
* buço (reintegrationist)

### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈboθo/ [ˈbo.θʊ]
* IPA: (standard) /ˈboθo/ [ˈbo.θʊ]
* IPA: (seseo) /ˈboso/ [ˈbo.sʊ]
* Rhymes: -oθo
* Rhymes: -oθo
* Rhymes: -oso
* Hyphenation: bo‧zo

### Noun

bozo m (plural bozos)
* muzzle
    Synonyms: boceira, embozo, vetillo
* pout
* fish mouth
* upper lip fluff

#### Derived terms

* bozal
* embozar

#### Related terms

* boza

### References

* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “bozo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “bozo”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
* Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “bozo”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN
* ↑ Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1983–1991) “bozo”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critic Castilian and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary] (in Spanish), Madrid: Gredos

## Spanish
### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

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

### Noun

bozo m (plural bozos)
* down, peach fuzz (soft hair on the upper lip)
* muzzle, mouth (exterior part of the mouth)
* halter (for leading horses)

#### Related terms

* bozal
* buces
* embozalar
* embozar
* embozo

#### See also

* lanugo
* vello

### Further reading

* “bozo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

## Yami
### Noun

bozo
* ball