Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

gonzo

/ˈɡɑnzoʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.80 in modern English

Syllables: gonzo
IPA: /ˈɡɑnzoʊ/

15

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

4

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Using an unconventional, exaggerated, and highly subjective style, often when the reporter takes part in the events of the story.

adj

Unconventional, bizarre, crazy.

noun

Gonzo journalism or a journalist who produces such journalism.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

A wild or crazy person.

Countable

Example Sentences

"I ask Hunter to explain ... Just what is Gonzo Journalism? ... “Gonzo all started with Bill Cardosa ^([sic]), ... after I wrote the Kentucky Derby piece for Scanlan's ... the first time I realized you could write different. And ... I got this note from Cardosa saying, ‘That was pure gonzo journalism!’ ... Some Boston word for weird, bizarre.”"
"Nicholson’s Torrance is an evil clown ... Appropriately, pop culture has embraced him as a gonzo antihero: Ads for T-shirts emblazoned with the “Here’s Johnny” Nicholson"
"“Unstable” indeed! Those swine: Next year we should demand a gonzo category – or maybe R S should give it. Of course: “The first annual Rolling Stone award for the year's finest example of pure gonzo journalism.”"

Etymology

Coined in 1971 by Boston Globe editor Bill Cardoso. Of uncertain origin; OED proposes Italian gonzo (“dolt”) and / or Spanish ganso (“dolt, goose”). The etymology supplied by Cardoso himself (French gonzeaux) is spurious; French does have a similar word gonze, but this is a loan from Italian.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈɡɑnzoʊ/
British English: /ˈɡɒnzəʊ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

more gonzo (comparative) most gonzo (superlative) gonzos (plural)

Derived Forms

gonzoism

Phrases

gone-zo gonzo journalism

Synonyms

bizarre eccentric freakish freaky flaky flakey off-the-wall outlandish outre

Homonyms

gone-zo

Rhymes With

alonzo bonzo alfonzo monzo san ildefonso

Questions

How do you pronounce gonzo?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɡɑnzoʊ/.
What does gonzo mean?: Using an unconventional, exaggerated, and highly subjective style, often when the reporter takes part in the events of the story.
Where does gonzo come from?: Coined in 1971 by Boston Globe editor Bill Cardoso. Of uncertain origin; OED proposes Italian gonzo (“dolt”) and / or Spanish ganso (“dolt, goose”). The etymology supplied by Cardoso himself (French gonzeaux) is spurious; French does have a similar word gonze, but this is a loan from Italian.

How to pronounce gonzo

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “gonzo”.
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