palooka
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A stupid, oafish or clumsy person.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
What’s more, Friends offers someone for everyone: a tall, dorky, insecure guy (David Schwimmer); a ditzy, guitar-strumming blonde (Lisa Kudrow); a handsome, jean-clad palooka (Matt LeBlanc); a sarcastic, 9-to-5-ing funnyman ([Matthew] Perry); a dark-haired, blue-eyed Veronica (Courteney Cox); and a
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “palooka” mean?
A stupid, oafish or clumsy person.
Is “palooka” formal or informal?
palooka is generally slang.