List of Words with Uncertain or Disputed Etymologies
This list excludes archaic words, many of which are simply
not well attested or studied enough to have known etymologies.
- alakazam
- askance
- average
- aye
- bad
- baffle
- banter
- barnacle
- beg
- bet
- bevy
- big
- bird
- blight
- blimp
- blizzard
- bloke
- blotch
- bludgeon
- bogey
- boo (s. marijuana)
- boost
- bother
- bounce
- bozo
- brake
- brash
- brass
- breeze
- brisk
- buddy
- bug
- buggy (s. cart)
- bump
- bunch
- bungle
- bunker
- bunt
- burlap
- cagey
- caron
- caucus
- chad (s. paper)
- chiba (s. marijuana)
- ching (s. cocaine)
- chink (s. crack)
- choof (s. marijuana)
- chop
- chum
- clobber
- clock
- clog
- cob
- cod
- condom
- conniption
- contraption
- conundrum
- coot
- copacetic
- crash
- crick
- cub
- cuddle
- culvert
- curl
- curmudgeon
- curse
- daccha (s. marijuana)
- dildo
- dirk
- djamba (s. marijuana)
- docket
- dodge
- dodo
- dog
- doja (s. marijuana)
- dollop
- dong (s. phallus)
- dongle
- donkey
- doob (s. marijuana)
- doodad
- doozy
- dork
- dowse (s. dowsing rod)
- drab
- drown
- dude
- dugee (s. heroin)
- eggnog
- eldritch
- euchre
- fake
- falter
- fit
- flabbergast
- flag
- flare
- flimsy
- flirt
- floss
- flub
- flue
- fluff
- fluke
- flummox
- flush
- fog
- freak
- frill
- fuss
- fuzz
- gadget
- gage (s. marijuana)
- garish
- gavel
- gibberish
- gig
- gimmick
- girl
- gizmo
- glade
- gnash
- goon
- gopher
- grouse
- groyper
- grump
- grungy
- gullible
- guzzle
- hackery (s. oxcart)
- hassle
- hazy
- hemlock
- hickey
- hives (s. urticaria)
- hoagie
- hobo
- hockey
- hocus-pocus
- hooey
- hootenanny
- humbug
- hunch
- hunker
- ingot
- jalopy
- jam
- jamboree
- jaunt
- jaw
- jazz
- jeer
- jiffy
- jig
- jimmy
- jive
- joey (s. kangaroo)
- jog
- josh
- jug
- junk
- kelp
- kibble
- kidney
- kilter
- knap
- kombucha
- lewd
- limber
- lobster
- log
- lollapalooza
- loogie
- lounge
- lumber
- lunch
- lurch
- mahogany
- malarkey
- monkey
- mojo
- moola
- mosey
- muggle (s. marijuana)
- musty
- nape
- nark
- nerd
- nifty
- nincompoop
- nitty-gritty
- noggin
- noose
- nugget
- nuzzle
- octothorpe
- OK
- oodles
- ouch
- pad
- pail
- pang
- patch
- peat
- pebble
- pelt
- penguin
- pet
- peter (s. deplete)
- phony
- piddle
- pie
- pimp
- pimple
- pink
- pixie
- pizzazz
- pod
- polecat
- pomelo
- pooch
- poop
- posh
- prank
- pug
- punk
- puppy
- puzzle
- quaff
- qualm
- quandary
- quibble
- quirk
- quiz
- racket
- rattle
- raunchy
- reefer (s. marijuana)
- rickets
- riff
- rinky-dink
- rod
- rogue
- roil
- roshambo
- rub
- rubbish
- ruffle
- rug
- rummy
- runt
- scag (s. heroin)
- scalawag
- scam
- schooner
- schwag (s. marijuana)
- scoot
- scoundrel
- scram
- scramble
- scratch
- shark
- shebang
- shenanigan
- shill
- shim
- shindig
- shoddy
- shout
- shrivel
- shrug
- shuck
- shun
- shunt
- simoleon
- ska
- skank
- skedaddle
- skit
- skulduggery
- slab
- slang
- slap
- slash
- slather
- sleazy
- slouch
- slug
- slum
- slurry
- smash
- smidgen
- smithereens
- smudge
- snazzy
- snide
- snitch
- snooker
- snooze
- spank
- spiffy
- splatter
- spliff (s. marijuana)
- spline
- sprain
- spree
- sprocket
- squab
- squander
- squeamish
- squeeze
- squelch
- squib
- squid
- squirm
- stash
- stingy
- stoat
- stodgy
- stooge
- straggle
- stubborn
- stunt
- sulk
- surf
- swatch
- swig
- taffy
- tantrun
- taper
- tickle
- tingle
- tipple
- tizzy
- toggle
- toss
- tot
- transmogrify
- trinket
- trounce
- trudge
- turmoil
- twerp
- waft
- wank
- wicked
- willies
- woo
- wraith
- wrap
- yam yam (s. heroin)
- yank
- yaw
- yaws
- yen (s. urge)
- yikes
- yogh
- zit
- zoom
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