ostrobogulousadj.

Brit.

/ˌɒstrəʊˈbɒɡjᵿləs/, U.S.

/ˌɑstroʊˈbɑɡjələs/

Origin: Apparently formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: oestrous adj., -o- connective, bog n.¹, bog n.⁴, -ulous suffix.

Etymology: Apparently irregularly < oestrous adj. + -o- connective + either bog n.¹ or bog n.⁴ + -ulous suffix, attributed to Victor Benjamin Neuburg, British writer (1883–1940); compare:1973 Times Lit. Suppl. 27 July 871/2 It was sick, dirty, or more precisely, ‘ostrobogulous’, which according to Victor Neuburg..meant etymologically full of (Latin, ulus) rich (Greek, ostro) dirt (schoolboy, bog).

Chiefly humorous.

Used after Neuburg to designate something that is slightly risqué or indecent. Also applied arbitrarily to things which are bizarre, interesting, or unusual in some other way (see quots.).

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [adjective] > bizarre

remote1533

antic1579

outlandish1588

bizarrea1648

outré1722

freakish1805

weird1820

freaky1824

weirdish1863

ostrobogulous1951

ostrobogulatory1952

far-out1954

weirdo1962

flaky1972

zonky1972

gonzo1974

mondo bizarro1976

mondo1979

woo-woo1986

freakazoid1990

1951 A. Calder-Marshall Magic my Youth i. 31 ‘Ostrobogulous’ was Vickybird's favourite word. It stood for anything from the bawdy to the slightly off-colour. Any double entendre that might otherwise have escaped his audience was prefaced by, ‘if you will pardon the ostrobogulosity’.

1952 A. Graves Ostrobogulous Pigs 7 Once upon a time there were..five ostrobogulous skipperty flipperty filthy grubby muddy little pigs.

1963 Sunday Times 29 Dec. 19/2 (heading) An ostrobogulous year for the toy men.

1965 J. O. Fuller Magical Dilemma V. Neuburg i. iv. 58 Some of the entries were not printed because they were ostrobogulous. This was a wonderful word of Vicky's. It was used in the place of indecent or pornographic, and had the advantage..that it implied no moral attitude.

1972 Times Lit. Suppl. 30 June 757/4 His career, fabulous, prestigious, sordid, sinister, and in the word of Victor Neuburg ostrobogulous.

Derivatives

ostroboguˈlation n. Apparently an isolated use.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > abnormality > [noun] > bizarreness

outlandishness1611

freakishness1678

bizarrerie1741

outréness1832

freakiness1886

bizarreness1920

ostrobogulosity1951

ostrobogulation1952

1952 A. Graves Ostrobogulous Pigs 11 ‘I can no longer endure the odorous and objectionable ostrobogulations of those creatures,’ said Angelina Boghurst-Fisher.

ostroˈbogulatory adj. Apparently an isolated use.

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