lollapalooza

American  

[lol-uh-puh-loo-zuh] / ˌlɒl ə pəˈlu zə /

Also lollapaloosa,

noun

Slang.

1. an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

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lollapalooza British  

/ ˌlɒləpəˈluːzə /

noun

1. slang something excellent

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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

Example Sentences

Home viewing won’t replace the experience of seeing Woo’s landmark action lollapaloozas in a theater.

From Los Angeles Times

The sharpened debate is sure to be on display at the economic lollapalooza that opens Wednesday in Washington — otherwise known as the annual spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

From New York Times

A lollapalooza of a twist ending elevates “Isolated,” a suspense film that for much of its first 75 minutes is just another well-acted, slickly produced variation on a too-common horror subgenre.

From Los Angeles Times

This riotous lollapalooza, which also took its beginnings from an L.A. remembrance, namely a party in Venice Beach 40 years earlier, opens with the Carl Sandburg line “The past is a bucket of ashes.”

From Los Angeles Times

At Amazon’s yearly lollapalooza of gadget announcements, the company typically announces literally dozens of new Alexa-connected devices.

From The Verge