lollapalooza
Americannoun
noun
Usage
Where does lollapalooza come from? Lollapalooza is an Americanism dating to the early 1900s (and name of a rock music festival starting in the 1990s). Its spelling has changed over time, so you might encounter such forms as lallapaloosa, lolapaloosa, and lallapalooza, in older written works. Where does it come from? That’s unknown, but it is probably just a whimsical formation—perfect for referring to something extraordinary. Many more amusing Americanisms await in our slideshow "These Wacky Words Originated In The USA."
Etymology
Origin of lollapalooza
An Americanism dating back to 1900–05; origin uncertain
Explanation
A lollapalooza is anything that's a really awesome member of the category it's in. If you went to a great party, with marvelous music and fantastic food, you could describe it as a lollapalooza. This word has been around since at least the late 1800s, and it's been spelled many different ways. "Lallapalootza," "lallapaloosa," "lallapaloozer," "lollapaloosa," and "lalapalooza" are just some of the versions you might see in older texts. The word's way of being pronounced has also been different, with the first "a" sound sometimes being pronounced like "cat" and sometimes being pronounced like "car," and with the "z" sometimes being pronounced as z and sometimes as s. Its origin is unknown — a real lollapalooza of a mystery.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But if you were following the band, you’ll remember how it seemed to arrive out of nowhere, at the end of two years of touring, including the 1996 Lollapalooza outing.
From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026
The speakers’ lineup in Tulsa will reportedly include Flynn, Clark, Eric Trump, Jackson Lahmeyer and his wife Kendra, and a veritable apostolic Lollapalooza of NAR-friendly preachers.
From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026
The former Premier League midfielder said his daughter was a big Chappell Roan fan and had made a sign to take to the Lollapalooza music festival in Sao Paulo, which the singer was headlining.
From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026
When ian played the Chicago music festival Lollapalooza in August, the crowd of teeming thousands seemed to know every lyric of “Oh Ok.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025
Montreux was slightly less so and felt like a “one-man show,” while Lollapalooza and Outside Lands were stimulating.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 8, 2025
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
