Oompa Loompa
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈuːmpə ˈluːmpə/
Forms: form: Oompa Loompas
Etymology: Coined by British author Roald Dahl. Apparently a fanciful formation in line with whimsical English words like fuzzy-wuzzy, Humpty Dumpty, etc. Perhaps reminiscent of "exotic" ethnonyms to Westerners; note Roald Dahl spent time in Tanganyika, East Africa, during his service in the Royal Air Force. Also compare oom-pah (“genre of German folk music”) (the Oompa Loompas dance to quirky, rhythmic songs).
Senses: examples: text: Dr. Evil: Is he giving off too much of a creepy Umpa Lumpa vibe? / What’s wrong, Mini-Me?
ref: 1999 June, Mike Myers, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, New Line Cinema
text: Nobody, not even an Umpa Lumpa, had warned me what would happen to a blind guy who refuses to close his eyes.
ref: 2006, Ryan Knighton, Cockeyed, A Memoir, page 152:
text: It could be worse, but I've learned to become invisible to Machiavellian dilettantes, faux radical Satanistas, and bloodsucking Oompa-Loompas of the painfully ordinary variety.
ref: 2006, Adrian C. Louis, Logorrhea, Northwestern University Press,, →ISBN, page 44:
text: [Referring to the male member] It's not one of the Muppets or an Umpa Lumpa.
ref: 2006, Sherry Argov, Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman's Guide to Winning Her Man's Heart, page 89:
text: Don’t be afraid to write your name in the books and on the pans that were yours before you found yourself sharing a studio apartment that would normally not be big enough for an Oompa-Loompa.
ref: 2006, Anna Jane Grossman, Flint Wainess, It’s Not Me, It’s You: The Ultimate Breakup Book, page 129:
text: Nevertheless, some subtle market forces are at work which pressure the canny shopkeeper into giving up valuable shelf space to the contents of an Oompa Loompa’s cocktail cabinet.
ref: 2006, Simon Trewin and Michael Moran, The Encyclopaedia of Guilty Pleasures, John Murray, page unknown
text: For women with skin of color, it's so, so important to get the shade and tone right. If it's wrong, you can look incredibly ashy, or like an Oompa Loompa.
ref: 2006, Iman, The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color, page 34:
text: The men[…]have gone way overboard with the spray-on tan. They’re as orange as Oompa Loompas, and they stare at my boobs for a very long time before acknowledging me.
ref: 2007, Meta Smith, Queen of Miami, Hachette Digital, →ISBN:
text: I don't know who decided all porn actors must be the same shade of orange as Oompa Loompas.
ref: 2009, Reverend Jen, Live Nude Elf: The Sexperiments of Reverend Jen, Counterpoint Press, →ISBN, page 172:
text: Dahl insisted there was no racist intent behind the Oompa Loompas but also said he found himself sympathising with the NAACP.
ref: 2017 September 13, Haroon Siddique, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hero 'was originally black'”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
topics: fiction
literature
media
publishing
glosses: Any of the fictional pygmies who manufacture candy in Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
examples: text: Not only does he have an Oompa Loompa for a mother, but if Star magazine is to be believed, that Oompa Loompa will soon be raising him on her own. […] This is great for MTV as its line-up of reality TV shows about young, foolish women with bad tans raising babies solo was looking kinds slim lately.
ref: 2012 November 1, Metro Boston:
text: ‘Oi! Oompa Loompa!’ some bloke yelled at me.
Whatevs! Like I hadn’t heard that one before!
My orange tan, huge hair extensions and bright clothes, made me a target.
ref: 2015, Chat:
glosses: A person appearing orange from fake tanning, resembling the appearance of Oompa Loompas in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
glosses: A dwarf, little person, short person.