noun General Slang

Alligator

/ˈælɪɡeɪtər/ · noun · slang

A swing-music fan or hep jitterbug, often a white enthusiast soaking up Harlem jazz.

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Definitions

1

Used as a hip term of address among hepsters, the root of 'see you later, alligator.'

“Later, alligator, catch you at the jam.”
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2

A jitterbug or swing dancer caught up in the music.

“Those alligators were cutting a rug till the band quit.”
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3

A devoted fan of swing music, especially one who came to listen and learn rather than play.

“The alligators packed the front rows every night.”
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Alligator In A Sentence

Every alligator in town turned out for the battle of the bands.
He was a real alligator, knew every tune by heart.
The musicians played hot for the alligators on the floor.

Origin & Usage

1930s swing-era Harlem jive slang, listed in Cab Calloway's 'Hepster's Dictionary' as a jitterbug or swing fan, often a white devotee absorbing Black jazz. It later seeded the 1950s catchphrase 'see you later, alligator.'

Variants gator'gator
Tags #harlemese#jive#1930s#harlem-renaissance#vintage#jazz#people

People Also Ask

What does alligator mean in jive slang?

It means a swing-music fan or jitterbug dancer, someone soaking up the jazz scene.

Where did 'alligator' come from?

From 1930s Harlem swing culture, recorded in Cab Calloway's 'Hepster's Dictionary.'

Is this related to 'see you later, alligator'?

Yes, the affectionate hepster address fed directly into that later catchphrase.

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