Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A person, especially a clumsy or uncouth one.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A fellow: a term of humorous contempt, often implying something awkward, silly, or weak in the person so designated.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Slang, U. S. A noisy, swaggering, or worthless fellow; a rowdy.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A clumsy or uncouth person.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a disreputable or clumsy man

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Origin unknown.]

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Examples

  • While it's probably true that the word "galoot" derived from a slur for African galley slaves, I would see it as ungracious and pedantic to bring this up with the implication that the person so informed must avoid the term for fear of transgressing the bounds of tolerance and responsibility.

    Friday Night Open Thread: Comics Rogers 2005

  • Bill was admiring his new pants -- he boasted of having bought them for three dollars, and pointed out that Milt had been a "galoot" to spend ten dollars for shoes -- that some one knocked at the door.

    Free Air Sinclair Lewis 1918

  • You're the kind of galoot that ought never to git out of sight of a railroad.

    The Man from the Bitter Roots Caroline Lockhart 1916

  • I miss that big galoot and his empty-eyed sociopathic sidekick Franky.

    Gorillas Riding Dinosaurs: What Looks Good for May | Robot 6 @ Comic Book Resources – Covering Comic Book News and Entertainment 2009

  • PSG rested a few of their main players and handed a debut to former Liverpool galoot Momo Sissoko, whose performance, I see, was described by various French journals today as "catastrophic".

    Football live blog - 30 September 2011

  • That young galoot I spoke to first had me written off the minute I opened my mouth.

    The Priest Gerard O’Donovan 2011

  • This big galoot looks more fitting for a mini-boss role.

    MMA Fighter Bob Sapp Cast in Conan | /Film 2010

  • And when some twittering galoot busy with a handheld whatever is about to crash into you, whack him over the head with the rolled-up newspaper!

    Ben H. Winters: How to Combat Distracted Walking 2010

  • "I wanted the chance to meet Roy Hodgson privately and having done so, I'm very impressed with his plans for the future," added the England captain, who, in fairness, had already moved to dampen speculation linking him with moves to the likes of Real Madrid ... by performing like an incorrigible galoot at the World Cup.

    $tevie Says Relax, I'm Staying At Liverpool 2010

  • “Bill, would you ask that big galoot to get off of Misty?”

    Misty Misty May-Treanor With Jill Lieber Steeg 2010

Comments

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  • Now who is that lankylooking galoot over there in the macintosh?

    Joyce, Ulysses, 6

    January 1, 2007

  • You dumb galoot!

    September 24, 2007

  • Often heard at football matches in Scotland - shouted at the player from the crowd "hey you - ya big galoot ye"

    December 31, 2008

  • pejoritize

    April 24, 2009

  • Inquisite.

    June 22, 2009