skookum
Americanadjective
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large; powerful; impressive.
-
excellent; first-rate.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of skookum
1825–35, < Chinook Jargon: strong, powerful < Lower Chehalis (Salishan language of the Washington coast) skwəkwə́m ghost, spirit, monster (hence, apparently “fearsome” > “powerful” in Chinook Jargon)
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.
Northwest look as handsome and healthy as skookum apples.
From Time Magazine Archive
Saghalie Tyee, yaka seahost Nanitch skookum konway kah.
From Hymns in the Chinook Jargon Language by Eells, Myron
I have a skookum young second mate in the Florence Ricks that I'm training for a captain, and I want to switch him in on the Humboldt Bay run for the sake of the experience.
From Cappy Ricks Or, the Subjugation of Matt Peasley by Kyne, Peter B. (Peter Bernard)
Johnny's skookum tumtum was somewhat out of commission for a while.
From Skookum Chuck Fables Bits of History, Through the Microscope by Cumming, R. D. (Robert Dalziel)
"Ha-a-lo put um in skookum box," he declared positively.
From The Land of Strong Men by Chisholm, A. M. (Arthur Murray)
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.
