gonzo

English

Etymology

Coined in 1971 by Boston Globe editor Bill Cardoso. Of uncertain origin; OED proposes Italian gonzo (“dolt”) and / or Spanish ganso (“dolt, goose”). The etymology supplied by Cardoso himself (French gonzeaux) is spurious.

Pronunciation

• enPR: gŏnʹzō
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɑnzoʊ/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡɒnzəʊ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒnzəʊ
• Homophone: gone-zo

Adjective

gonzo (comparative more gonzo, superlative most gonzo)

1. (journalism) Using an unconventional, exaggerated, and highly subjective style, often when the reporter takes part in the events of the story.
   • 1972, Richard Pollack, chapter VI, in Stop the Presses, I Want to Get Off!:

     I ask Hunter to explain ... Just what is Gonzo Journalism? ... “Gonzo all started with Bill Cardosa ^[sic], ... after I wrote the Kentucky Derby piece for Scanlan's ... the first time I realized you could write different. And ... I got this note from Cardosa saying, ‘That was pure gonzo journalism!’ ... Some Boston word for weird, bizarre.”

2. Unconventional, bizarre, crazy. [from 1974]
   • 2007, Mark Dery, The Pyrotechnic Insanitarium: American culture on the brink‎^[2], page 121:

     Nicholson’s Torrance is an evil clown ... Appropriately, pop culture has embraced him as a gonzo antihero: Ads for T-shirts emblazoned with the “Here’s Johnny” Nicholson

Derived terms

• gonzo journalism
• gone-zo

Noun

gonzo (countable and uncountable, plural gonzos)

1. Gonzo journalism or a journalist who produces such journalism.
   • 2000, Hunter S. Thompson, Douglas Brinkley, Fear and Loathing in America: The brutal odyssey of an outlaw Journalist, 1968–1976:

     “Unstable” indeed! Those swine: Next year we should demand a gonzo category – or maybe R S should give it. Of course: “The first annual Rolling Stone award for the year's finest example of pure gonzo journalism.”

2. (countable) A wild or crazy person.

Further reading

• gonzo on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Özgön

Galician

Etymology

From Old French gons, from Latin gomphus, from Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos), from Proto-Hellenic *gómpʰos, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos. Doublet of golfón.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡon.θo/, [ˈɡonθʊ], (western) [ˈɡonsʊ]
• Hyphenation: gon‧zo

Noun

gonzo m (plural gonzos)

1. hinge

   Synonyms: bisagra f, porlón m

Derived terms

• engonzar
• esgonzar

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “gonço”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “gonzo”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “gonzo”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “gonzo”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Italian

Etymology

Unknown. Some suggest by aphesis from Latin verēcundus (“bashful, shamefaced”, see verecondo and vergogna).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡon.d͡zo/
• Rhymes: -ondzo
• Hyphenation: gón‧zo

Adjective

gonzo (feminine gonza, masculine plural gonzi, feminine plural gonze)

1. stupid, dumb

   Synonyms: babbeo, fesso, grullo, ingenuo, scemo, sciocco, sempliciotto, sprovveduto, stolto, stupido, tonto

Noun

gonzo m (plural gonzi, feminine gonza)

1. simpleton, dolt; dupe

   Synonyms: babbeo, fesso, grullo, ingenuo, minchione, scemo, sciocco, sempliciotto, sprovveduto, stolto, stupido, tonto

Descendants

• → English: gonzo
• → French: gonze

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡõ.zu/

• Hyphenation: gon‧zo

Etymology 1

From Old French gons, from Latin gomphus, from Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos), from Proto-Hellenic *gómpʰos, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵómbʰos.

Noun

gonzo m (plural gonzos)

1. hinge (device for the pivoting of a door)

   Synonyms: dobradiça, charneira, quício

   • 1995, José Saramago, Ensaio sobre a cegueira, Caminho:

     Esperavam o ruído do portão ao ser aberto, o guincho agudo dos gonzos por untar, […]

     They waited for the sound of the gate being opened, the shrill squeal of the hinges in need of oil, […]

Etymology 2

From Italian gonzo.

Adjective

gonzo (feminine gonza, masculine plural gonzos, feminine plural gonzas)

1. (journalism) gonzo