nudnik

Pronounced: NUD-nik, noun

Notes: A useful word to know

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Yesterday’s word

The word palouser is

• a strong, dangerous wind
• an improvised lantern
• a country bumpkin

First usage

Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1909)

Background / Comments

Frustratingly, there is little information about how the three apparently unrelated definitions came about. It is known that our word comes from the Palouse region in northern Idaho and eastern Washington; there is a Palouse river in the area. Without any better information, I will guess that strong winds are common in the area and thus came about the first definition. When I saw that first definition, I wondered if all strong winds are dangerous (very possibly, I think). From other sources, the “improvised” lantern is a simple one, such as a candle in a tin can. Maybe such a thing was needed in the area? I can see the third definition growing out of extended the “simple” of “simple lantern” to a person. I also wonder if “palooka” is some kind of corruption of our word; I seem to remember hearing “palooka” in old Bugs Bunny cartoons.