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© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
Goon: 'Popeye'
- While the word may have origins as early as the 16th century, it did not catch on until 1933.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
Goon: 'Popeye'
- E.C. Segar, the creator of 'Popeye,' introduced foolish but large characters to his comic and named them "goons," the most famous of which was Alice the Goon. The word was soon popularized to describe an unintelligent bully.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Brainiac: 'Superman' comic books
- A term used for an intelligent person, the word "brainiac" originated in the 'Superman' comic book series as the name of a new character.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
Brainiac: 'Superman' comic books
- In Action Comics #242, issued in 1958, Brainiac makes his first appearance as an extraterrestrial, superintelligent villain.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
McCarthyism: The Washington Post editorial cartoons by Herblock
- Herbert Block (commonly called Herblock) was an influential political editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post, and a fervent critic of politician Joseph McCarthy.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
McCarthyism: The Washington Post editorial cartoons by Herblock
- The term "McCarthyism" was first used on March 29, 1950, when Block published a comic titled 'You mean I'm supposed to stand on that?' The word has since been used to describe the Red Scare period in America, and general unjust political persecution or defamation.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Embiggen: 'The Simpsons'
- "Embiggen" comes from the motto of 'The Simpsons' fictional town of Springfield: "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man." It means to "make bigger or more expansive."
© Instar Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Embiggen: 'The Simpsons'
- Just over two decades after Bart's teacher, Miss Krabappel, mentioned never hearing of the word until she moved to Springfield, it was officially added to the dictionary in 2018.
© Instar Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Cromulent: 'The Simpsons'
- In response to Ms. Krabappel never having heard of the word "embiggen," Lisa's teacher, Miss Hoover, insists it is a "perfectly cromulent word."
© Instar Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Cromulent: 'The Simpsons'
- Writer David X. Cohen is credited with creating the word when instructed to develop something that sounded real. As of September 2023, the word "cromulent" is officially in the dictionary.
© Instar Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Newlywed: 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby'
- Prior to 1904, a person who recently married could be "newly wed," but they would not be a "newlywed."
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Newlywed: 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby'
- The noun only caught on after the release of George McManus' 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby,' the first cartoon strip depicting an American family. The word has served as a synonym for honeymooners ever since.
© Public Domain
12 / 29 Fotos
Poindexter: 'Felix the Cat'
- Felix the Cat's legacy is immortalized both for him being the first animated film star, but also for adding a word to the dictionary.
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
Poindexter: 'Felix the Cat'
- Introduced as a comic strip in 1919, the titular character eventually appeared in his own TV series, co-starring a child-genius character named Poindexter. Today, "poindexter" is used as slang to describe an intelligent but socially awkward person.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Jeep: 'Popeye'
- Eugene the Jeep was another 'Popeye' character who also achieved immortalization in the dictionary. The magical, yellow doglike creature was first introduced in E.C. Segar's comic in 1936. Four years later, a four-wheel-drive vehicle entered the market.
© Instar Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Jeep: 'Popeye'
- While the origins of the automobile's name are debated, one popular theory is that military service members nicknamed the vehicles "jeeps" after the character, as they both could go anywhere.
© Instar Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Kryptonite: 'Superman' comics
- First used in 1943, the word "kryptonite" was introduced as the mineral that was Superman's sole weakness.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Kryptonite: 'Superman' comics
- Known as his Achilles' heel, the word became a modernized version of the latter around the '60s. It's now widely used to describe a person's vulnerability.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Meh: 'The Simpsons'
- Another 'Simpsons' word contribution is the word "meh." The expression entered the dictionary in 2009.
© Instar Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Meh: 'The Simpsons'
- On the season six episode 'Sideshow Bob Roberts,' Lisa expresses confusion that voting records aren't classified, to which the clerk offers the indifferent response, "Meh."
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
Nimrod: 'Looney Tunes'
- Its first use dates back to the 16th century, however, it was thanks to a 1948 'Looney Tunes' cartoon that the word was introduced to a younger audience when Daffy Duck used it while speaking to Elmer Fudd, referring to him as "my little nimrod."
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Nimrod: 'Looney Tunes'
- Bugs Bunny also used the word to taunt Yosemite Sam. "Nimrod" then transformed to mean a foolish person.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
D'oh!: 'The Simpsons'
- Dan Castellaneta first uttered Homer Simpson's most famous catchphrase in 1989. He took inspiration from comedian James Finlayson's grunt in the Laurel and Hardy films.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
D'oh!: 'The Simpsons'
- However, it was 'The Simpsons' that popularized the term, so much so that it entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Shazam: 'Captain Marvel' comics
- The word "shazam" originated in a 1940s comic book created by writer Bill Parker and artist C.C. Peck, which introduced the character Captain Marvel (not the Marvel hero).
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Shazam: 'Captain Marvel' comics
- Over time, the word has been used to describe a sudden, magical transformation.
© Getty Images
26 / 29 Fotos
Cowabunga: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
- The earliest known use of "cowabunga" is in 'The Howdy Doody Show' in 1954, however, it was only popularized in the '60s by surfers.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
Cowabunga: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
- The word reached the broader lexicon in the '80s after 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' character Michelangelo took it on as his catchphrase. Sources: (Stacker) (Mental Floss) See also: What are the oldest words in the English language?
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
Goon: 'Popeye'
- While the word may have origins as early as the 16th century, it did not catch on until 1933.
© Getty Images
1 / 29 Fotos
Goon: 'Popeye'
- E.C. Segar, the creator of 'Popeye,' introduced foolish but large characters to his comic and named them "goons," the most famous of which was Alice the Goon. The word was soon popularized to describe an unintelligent bully.
© Getty Images
2 / 29 Fotos
Brainiac: 'Superman' comic books
- A term used for an intelligent person, the word "brainiac" originated in the 'Superman' comic book series as the name of a new character.
© Getty Images
3 / 29 Fotos
Brainiac: 'Superman' comic books
- In Action Comics #242, issued in 1958, Brainiac makes his first appearance as an extraterrestrial, superintelligent villain.
© Getty Images
4 / 29 Fotos
McCarthyism: The Washington Post editorial cartoons by Herblock
- Herbert Block (commonly called Herblock) was an influential political editorial cartoonist for The Washington Post, and a fervent critic of politician Joseph McCarthy.
© Getty Images
5 / 29 Fotos
McCarthyism: The Washington Post editorial cartoons by Herblock
- The term "McCarthyism" was first used on March 29, 1950, when Block published a comic titled 'You mean I'm supposed to stand on that?' The word has since been used to describe the Red Scare period in America, and general unjust political persecution or defamation.
© Getty Images
6 / 29 Fotos
Embiggen: 'The Simpsons'
- "Embiggen" comes from the motto of 'The Simpsons' fictional town of Springfield: "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man." It means to "make bigger or more expansive."
© Instar Images
7 / 29 Fotos
Embiggen: 'The Simpsons'
- Just over two decades after Bart's teacher, Miss Krabappel, mentioned never hearing of the word until she moved to Springfield, it was officially added to the dictionary in 2018.
© Instar Images
8 / 29 Fotos
Cromulent: 'The Simpsons'
- In response to Ms. Krabappel never having heard of the word "embiggen," Lisa's teacher, Miss Hoover, insists it is a "perfectly cromulent word."
© Instar Images
9 / 29 Fotos
Cromulent: 'The Simpsons'
- Writer David X. Cohen is credited with creating the word when instructed to develop something that sounded real. As of September 2023, the word "cromulent" is officially in the dictionary.
© Instar Images
10 / 29 Fotos
Newlywed: 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby'
- Prior to 1904, a person who recently married could be "newly wed," but they would not be a "newlywed."
© Getty Images
11 / 29 Fotos
Newlywed: 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby'
- The noun only caught on after the release of George McManus' 'The Newlyweds and Their Baby,' the first cartoon strip depicting an American family. The word has served as a synonym for honeymooners ever since.
© Public Domain
12 / 29 Fotos
Poindexter: 'Felix the Cat'
- Felix the Cat's legacy is immortalized both for him being the first animated film star, but also for adding a word to the dictionary.
© Getty Images
13 / 29 Fotos
Poindexter: 'Felix the Cat'
- Introduced as a comic strip in 1919, the titular character eventually appeared in his own TV series, co-starring a child-genius character named Poindexter. Today, "poindexter" is used as slang to describe an intelligent but socially awkward person.
© Getty Images
14 / 29 Fotos
Jeep: 'Popeye'
- Eugene the Jeep was another 'Popeye' character who also achieved immortalization in the dictionary. The magical, yellow doglike creature was first introduced in E.C. Segar's comic in 1936. Four years later, a four-wheel-drive vehicle entered the market.
© Instar Images
15 / 29 Fotos
Jeep: 'Popeye'
- While the origins of the automobile's name are debated, one popular theory is that military service members nicknamed the vehicles "jeeps" after the character, as they both could go anywhere.
© Instar Images
16 / 29 Fotos
Kryptonite: 'Superman' comics
- First used in 1943, the word "kryptonite" was introduced as the mineral that was Superman's sole weakness.
© Getty Images
17 / 29 Fotos
Kryptonite: 'Superman' comics
- Known as his Achilles' heel, the word became a modernized version of the latter around the '60s. It's now widely used to describe a person's vulnerability.
© Getty Images
18 / 29 Fotos
Meh: 'The Simpsons'
- Another 'Simpsons' word contribution is the word "meh." The expression entered the dictionary in 2009.
© Instar Images
19 / 29 Fotos
Meh: 'The Simpsons'
- On the season six episode 'Sideshow Bob Roberts,' Lisa expresses confusion that voting records aren't classified, to which the clerk offers the indifferent response, "Meh."
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
Nimrod: 'Looney Tunes'
- Its first use dates back to the 16th century, however, it was thanks to a 1948 'Looney Tunes' cartoon that the word was introduced to a younger audience when Daffy Duck used it while speaking to Elmer Fudd, referring to him as "my little nimrod."
© Getty Images
21 / 29 Fotos
Nimrod: 'Looney Tunes'
- Bugs Bunny also used the word to taunt Yosemite Sam. "Nimrod" then transformed to mean a foolish person.
© Getty Images
22 / 29 Fotos
D'oh!: 'The Simpsons'
- Dan Castellaneta first uttered Homer Simpson's most famous catchphrase in 1989. He took inspiration from comedian James Finlayson's grunt in the Laurel and Hardy films.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
D'oh!: 'The Simpsons'
- However, it was 'The Simpsons' that popularized the term, so much so that it entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
Shazam: 'Captain Marvel' comics
- The word "shazam" originated in a 1940s comic book created by writer Bill Parker and artist C.C. Peck, which introduced the character Captain Marvel (not the Marvel hero).
© Getty Images
25 / 29 Fotos
Shazam: 'Captain Marvel' comics
- Over time, the word has been used to describe a sudden, magical transformation.
© Getty Images
26 / 29 Fotos
Cowabunga: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
- The earliest known use of "cowabunga" is in 'The Howdy Doody Show' in 1954, however, it was only popularized in the '60s by surfers.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
Cowabunga: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'
- The word reached the broader lexicon in the '80s after 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' character Michelangelo took it on as his catchphrase. Sources: (Stacker) (Mental Floss) See also: What are the oldest words in the English language?
© Getty Images
28 / 29 Fotos
Words introduced or popularized by cartoons
We can thank pop culture for these words!
© Shutterstock
Pop culture doesn't just give us countless hours of entertainment—it also shapes our language. The way words enter dictionaries are often a reflection of the times, with certain words becoming popular for resonating with the general public. Cartoons, in particular, have managed to introduce original, relevant language, spanning from political cartoons to animated films, TV, and more.
Curious? Check out this gallery to discover words that were introduced or popularized by cartoons.
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