noun
General Slang
Jalopy
/dʒəˈlɒpi/ · noun · slang
A beat-up, rattletrap old automobile held together by hope and tape.
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Definitions
1
Affectionately, an old car someone is fond of despite its faults.
“I'll never sell that old jalopy, she's got character.”
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2
Any cheap, unreliable vehicle.
“My first jalopy cost twenty dollars and broke down weekly.”
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3
A dilapidated, run-down old car.
“He drove a jalopy that backfired at every stop sign.”
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Jalopy In A Sentence
The jalopy wheezed up the hill at ten miles an hour.
We crammed six people into that rusty jalopy.
His jalopy lost a fender on the way to the dance.
Origin & Usage
American slang that emerged in the 1920s as cars became common and old ones piled up. The exact origin is murky, with one theory linking it to Jalapa, Mexico, where scrapped American cars were sometimes shipped.
People Also Ask
What does 'jalopy' mean?
It's a worn-out, beat-up old car. The word took off in the 1920s as automobiles spread and clunkers multiplied.
Where did 'jalopy' come from?
Its origin is uncertain. One popular theory ties it to Jalapa, Mexico, a destination for scrapped American cars in the 1920s.
Is 'jalopy' an insult to a car?
Mostly it's affectionate-mocking. People often call their own beloved old wrecks jalopies with a grin.
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