patsy

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpætsi/^[1]

Etymology

It is of uncertain origin.^[2][3] The American Heritage Dictionary, Barnhart and Merriam-Webster suggest Italian pazzo (“fool, madman”) or a southern Italian dialect paccio “fool”.^[4][2][5] Etymonline instead derives it from Patsy Bolivar, a meek, slow-witted boy in American comic sketches from 1866, who was blamed for the pranks of others.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

A person who is ridiculed, deceived, blamed or victimized (1903).^[7][2][5] Etymonline dates it to 1902.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Patsy Bolivar was used of a scapegoat by 1871 and as a humorous fake name for anyone by 1873.^[6] The word has kept its sense of a dupe or scapegoat,^[4][5][3] and Wiktionary also records the sense of a conspirator chosen by the others to take the blame.^[1]

Timeline

• 1866 – Patsy Bolivar in American comic sketches.^[6]
• 1871 – Patsy Bolivar, a scapegoat.^[6]
• 1903 – a dupe or victim.^[7][2][5]
• 1930 – adjective, satisfactory, now rare.^[7]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A person who is easily cheated, manipulated or made fun of; a sucker or pushover.
2. A person made to take the blame for something; a scapegoat or fall guy.

Related words

• dupe
• scapegoat
• fall guy

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
3. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
4. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
5. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
6. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press