Bugaloo
/ˌbuː.ɡəˈluː/noun
A variant spelling of boogaloo, a lively dance and style of popular music that emerged in the United States during the 1960s.
Did you know?The spelling “bugaloo” is recorded as a variant of “boogaloo,” whose second element has no securely established meaning; scholars generally treat the name as a modern, possibly playful coinage rather than an occult survival.
Etymological Timeline
Early 20th Century
English
boogie
“A word associated with energetic dancing and boogie-woogie music; its deeper origin is uncertain and may involve African American vernacular usage.”
1930s–1940s
English
boogie-woogie
“A highly rhythmic style of piano-based blues music and its accompanying dance culture.”
1960s
English
boogaloo
“A new dance and musical style developed in the United States, especially among African American and Latino musicians.”
1960s–1970s
English
bugaloo
“An attested variant spelling of “boogaloo,” used for the same dance or musical style.”
Modern English
English
bugaloo
“A variant form of “boogaloo,” now used less commonly than the standard spelling.”
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