Lulu

//ˈluːlu// name, noun, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A female given name.

    ""Do excuse me, and forgive my inquisitiveness. I was struck with the name Lulu." "You think it a baby name," she said, laughing. "O, no; it is wonderfully sweet to me! and may I sometimes call you so?""

  2. 2
    A female given name from Chinese.
  3. 3
    A unisex given name from Arabic.
  4. 4
    A female given name.; A diminutive of the female given names Louisa, Louise, Lucy, or Lucille.
  5. 5
    A unisex given name from Arabic.; A female given name from Arabic, equivalent to English Pearl.
Noun
  1. 1
    A remarkable person, object, or idea. slang

    "The funny part was, though, we were the worst skaters on the whole goddam^([sic]) rink. I mean the worst. And there were some lulus, too."

  2. 2
    A fixed allowance paid to a legislator in lieu of reimbursement for actual expenses. slang
  3. 3
    Locally unwanted land use.
  4. 4
    a very attractive or seductive looking woman wordnet
  5. 5
    A very attractive or alluring person. slang
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  1. 6
    A very bad mistake or error. slang

Etymology

Etymology 1

Probably from American stage magician Lulu Hurst (1869–1950).

Etymology 2

From the phrase in lieu.

Etymology 3

A reduplication of Lu, a clipping of given names with the first syllable of Lu, Lou, such as Lucy, Lucille, Louise, Louisa.

Etymology 4

Borrowed from Chinese 璐璐, 露露, 璐露, 露璐, etc.; in turn from 璐, 露, etc. From the Chinese practice of reduplicating a syllable or character to create a female name. * From Mandarin Lù Lù, Lù-Lù, Lù-lù, Lùlù / Lu4lu4 / ㄌㄨˋㄌㄨˋ; in turn from Lù/lù, ㄌㄨˋ, Lu4/lu4. From Middle Chinese luH/LuH * From Cantonese Lou6lou6; in turn from Lou6/lou6. From Middle Chinese luH/LuH * From Taishanese Lu5lu5; in turn from Lu5/lu5. From Middle Chinese luH/LuH

Etymology 5

From Arabic لُؤْلُؤ (luʔluʔ, literally “pearl”).

Etymology 6

Coined in 1981 by American urban planning professor Frank J. Popper in his paper, “Siting LULUs”, Planning Magazine.

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