Bimbo
 | This article possibly contains original research. (December 2007) |
 | The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. |
Bimbo is a term that emerged in popular English language usage in the early 20th Century to describe an often attractive, yet unintelligent woman. The usage of this term began in the United States as early as 1919. The 1929 silent film Desert Nights describes a cheap female crook as a bimbo. This word derives from the Italian bimbo, a word of masculine gender that means (male) baby or very young (male) child (its feminine equivalent is bimba). The 50's song "Bimbo", about a toddler, was one of the early hits for the popular American singer Jim Reeves. Its first usage in English was for stupid men; it now is understood to mean a woman unless modified as male bimbo, himbo or mimbo. Some still prefer the explicitly female variant bimbette, which has also entered The American Heritage Dictionary. Others use bimbette for a younger bimbo, because the suffix "-ette" signifies a smaller version as in French or Spanish "-ito/-ita" suffix.
In the English language a bimbo can also be someone who enjoys being pleased often by intercourse with unknown strangers. The archetype of a bimbo with sex appeal is much used as a stock character in comedies with sexual humor, an example being Christina Applegate's character, Kelly Bundy, in Married... with Children.
A beauty contest game called Miss Bimbo is an online game which players, often of young age, can purchase operations such as facelifts or breast implants in order to impress virtual boys. The game has received condemnation of parents especially in the British region.[1]
An older comedy archetype of perhaps more direct resemblance to the bimbo is the dumb blonde —for example, the giggling, naïve characters portrayed by such sultry actresses as Marilyn Monroe or, as she appeared on Laugh-In, Goldie Hawn.
Variations
Himbo
The word "himbo" has been coined to describe a man who, were he a woman, would be a bimbo. [2]
Mimbo
"Mimbo" has a similar meaning to "himbo", being a portmanteau of "male" and "bimbo". This was coined in the season five episode of Seinfeld The Stall as a phrase Jerry used to describe Elaine's boyfriend Tony.
Reference
- ^ "Parents upset over online Miss Bimbo game for children". Taipei Times. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
- ^ Williams, Rachel. (July 7, 2006). PA News Bling, Himbos in dictionary, but unlikely to use one. (writing, "A himbo is an attractive but vacuous man, the male version of a bimbo" as indicated in the latest edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.)