I’ve been known to describe a certain kind of annoying person as “a jidrool.” The meaning is generally made quite clear by context; but where did that word come from?
“Jidrool” (or “jadrool,” etc.) is a corruption of the Italian word for a cucumber, “chetriolo (or “citrulo”). But why pick on the cucumber? Why should the poor cucumber be synonymous with intractable stupidity?
Because it’s green? Or, “Giuseppe has no more brains than a cucumber”? The answer to this question has been lost in the deeps of time. Probably Julius Caesar could have answered it.
But whatever its history, it certainly sounds like a well-earned term of abuse. It’s not something you hear everywhere you go; but here, twenty miles from New York City, it’s heard fairly often. As in “Those jidrools in Congress.”
Whatever the etymology, I love the word.
That’s a great word…I don’t mean great as in something great, but great as in great, as great can be used in a great or greater way, more greater then great can become, when it reaches its greatest heights of greatness.
Sounds like you’re beginning to feel a little better!
Too bad jidrools were not required to read this blog. My spell-check always tells me I am spelling jidrool as a word that doesn’t exist. Some jidrool must have created the algorithm for censoring.
There are more then a few jidrools in the software industry.