Bumbling Bomber

Ahmad Khan Rahami allegedly set bombs in New York and New Jersey in September 2016. They didn't do much damage and Rahami was located sleeping in a doorway. The New York (NY) Daily News came…

Bunnette

The Nathan's July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest is famous for its "gurgitators" (eaters), but it also has "bunnettes." A "bunnette" (from the hot dog…

Cafe Society

"Cafe Society" was coined by Cholly Knickerbocker (Maury Paul) at the New York American in 1919. There was a movie titled Cafe Society (1939). Lucius Beebe consulted on the movie and was…

Calendar Girl

"I love, I love, I love my calendar girl" sang Brooklyn-born Neil Sedaka. The birth of the "calendar girl" is moderately disputed, but she appears to have been born in New York…

Call Girl

"Call girls" were, originally, the telephone operators (mostly women) who connected calls. "Call girl" now refers to a sex worker who is available on call. The term "call…

Carwashero (carwash worker)

A "carwashero" (plural "carwasheros") is a carwash worker. The term was printed in the Los Angeles (CA) Times on March 23, 2008, describing the Spanish-speaking immigrants who…

Cat Pack

Entry in progress -- B.P.Rat Pack 23 November 1971, Aberdeen (SD) American-News, "Earl Wilson's New York," pg. 4, col. 5:Women's Wear Daily launched a "Cat Pack" of…

Celebutante

Paris Hilton is/was sometimes described as a "celebutante." The word is a combination of "celebrity" + "debutante." 20 July 1986, Chicago Tribune, city edition, pg.…

Circuit Queen

A person frequenting the gay circuit is called a "circuit queen." The "bird circuit" was the name for Manhattan's gay bars in the East 50s (dating from the 1950s), but the…

Citiot (city + idiot)

A "citiot" (city + idiot) is someone from the city (most commonly New York City) who spends time in the country or in a summer residence. The term "citiot" is very popular in…

Cliff Dweller

A "cliff dweller" is a term (popular in the 1890s) for a resident of an apartment building. The term appeared in simultaneous 1893 publications describing "cliff dwellers" of…