Slumlord
A "slumlord" (or "slum landlord") is the owner of a property in disrepair who lets to tenants. The term is American and dates after the Second World War (1945--). Our first…
Smart Alec
Gerald Cohen did research on the New York City origins of "smart alec." A piece on "smart alec" appeared in a New York Times "F.Y.I." column in 2002. Gerald Cohen…
Smoke-Eater; Smoke-Chewer
"Smoke-eaters" are firefighters, also known as New York's "Bravest." "Smoke-chewer" isn't used today, but the 1884 citation below is interesting.…
Snakehead
"Snakeheads" (or "snake heads") are people who traffic in illegal (usually Chinese) immigration. Many Chinese brought into America by "snakeheads" find themselves…
Spox (spokesperson)
"Spox" is a popular headline shorthand for "spokesperson." The term "spox" was used in 1996 and then frequently in 2006 in the context of Israeli government…
Stage-door Johnny
Following the "dude" craze in New York City of 1883 came the "stage-door Johnny." This character waited at the stage door for his gal to come out after the show.…
Stat Rat (inhabitant of Staten Island)
A "Stat Rat" is an inhabitant of Staten Island. The term "Stat Rat" has been infrequently used; depending on the context, it could be a term of endearment or an insult.…
Staten Islander (inhabitant of Staten Island)
A "Staten Islander" is an inhabitant of the borough of Staten Island. "Staten Islander" has been cited in print since at least 1815, well before Staten Island became a borough…
Stooge
"Stooge" was a theatrical term for "student." Comedian Victor Moore has explained in several articles that it began in 1912 at Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre, the…
Street Arab
"Street Arabs" (or "street arabs") was the name for the street kids in New York City in the 19th century. The terms "Arabs of the Street" and "City Arabs"…
Stroller Nazi; Stroller Mafia
Child strollers can take up a large portion of the sidewalk. A "stroller Nazi" describes a person (usually a mother) who aggressively drives a stroller down the sidewalk, forcing other…
Stud Muffin or Studmuffin (an attractive man)
A "stud muffin" (or "studmuffin") is a very attractive man (a "stud"). The "muffin" ending is less understandable, and it possibly is related to the similar…
Sugar Daddy
In 1923, Dorothy Keenan King (a New York model) was found chloroformed to death in her New York City apartment. She had called John Kearsley Mitchell her "heavy sugar daddy." It is…
Sunnysider (inhabitant of Sunnyside, Queens)
"Sunnysider” is the name of an inhabitant of Sunnyside, in the borough of Queens. The name “Sunnysider” has been cited in print since at least 1923. Wikipedia: Sunnyside, QueensSunnyside…
Superflack
"Superflack" was mentioned in William Safire's "On Language" column of March 18, 1979. It follows "superman," "superstar," and "supermodel."…
Superman; Superstar; Supermodel
New York City is just "super." It all began with Superman, followed by Superstar and Supermodel. SUPERMAN "Superman" was born in Germany in the 1890s, when Friedrich Nietzsche…
Swish Set
"Swish" (for "homosexual") is/was an LGBTQ nickname, and the term "swish set" was used for the community. "New York's Swish Set" was printed in the…
Tax Payer (Will B. Johnstone cartoon character)
The cartoon character of the taxpayer wearing only a barrel (held up by suspenders) is the creation of Will B. Johnstone. It was a regular feature in the New York World-Telegram. The Tax Payer was…
Teflon Don
Teflon is a no-stick cooking surface. People have been called "Teflon" when things (such as criminal charges) don't stick to them. Italian-American gangster John Gotti (1940-2002)…
Ten-Foot Cop (NYPD Mounted Unit)
The New York Police Department has a mounted unit; such an officer is sometimes called a "ten-foot cop." The term "ten-foot cop" also appears to be used by mounted units of…