Phrase Finder

What a Maroon

Posted by Pfbb1058 February 04, 2007In reply to What a Maroon posted by ESC on February 02, 2007

What a Maroon. Where did this phrase originate? Used to describe an idiot, a dumb person. I seem to remember Bugs Bunny using it.

It is indeed, classic Bugs Bunny. A comic variant of "moron." (Sidebar: I used "what a maroon" last year in a radio commercial I wrote, voiced by an exasperated wife not getting through to a dimbulb husband. The client wanted me to cut it out, since he didn't understand it. I held my ground, but it was amazing to me how many people, more than half, didn't connect. C'mon people, Bugs is contemporary.)

Also said by Bugs: im-BES-sul(imbecile).

And you can hear him here:

What an imbesile, what an ultra maroon
www.barbneal.com/ wav/ltunes/Bugs/Bugs13.wav

What a maroon, what an ignoranimous
www.barbneal.com/ wav/ltunes/Bugs/Bugs34.wav

www.barbneal.com/ bugs.htm

It comes from Mrs Malaprop's copious bosom then?


  • What a Maroon ESC 04/February/07