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Where does the word "loco" come from? It comes from Spanish loco, and was adopted directly into English (1840s).
Read the full story
Where does the word "loco" come from? It comes from Spanish loco, and was adopted directly into English (1840s).
Loco’s story begins in Spanish: loco meant “crazy.” Mad, of uncertain origin. It reached English by 1840s as loco. 'locoweed', named in the 1870s, drove grazing cattle and horses into a frenzy. Today, loco means crazy.
- Stage 1 · Spanish · medieval loco "crazy", mad, of uncertain origin.
- Stage 2 · American English · 1840s loco "crazy", 'locoweed', named in the 1870s, drove grazing cattle and horses into a frenzy.