bimbo

Meaning

Noun

• A physically attractive woman who lacks intelligence.
• A stupid or foolish person.

Origin

• From Italian bimbo ("a child, a male baby"), variant of bambino. Originated in Italian American theater, attested 1919, as “stupid, inconsequential man”, by 1920 developed sense of “floozie, attractive and stupid woman”. Popularized in 1920s by Jack Conway of entertainment magazine Variety, who also popularized baloney and palooka. Revived in popularity in 1980s US political sex scandals.