Geronimo
/ˌdʒerəˈniːmoʊ/noun
An exclamation used to express excitement, daring, or a leap into action.
Did you know?The shout became famous in English after U.S. paratroopers and stuntmen used it as a fearless leap cry, but it was also the name of the Apache leader Goyaałé, whose identity was reshaped by colonial history.
Etymological Timeline
Greek
Greek
Hierōnymos
“sacred name”
Late Latin
Latin
Hieronymus
“a male personal name”
Spanish
Spanish
Jerónimo
“Jerome; a masculine given name”
19th Century
English
Geronimo
“the name of the Chiricahua Apache leader Goyaałé, later used as a shouted exclamation”
20th Century
English
geronimo
“a cry shouted when jumping or plunging into action”
Explore more surprising origins