Oompa Loompa
/ˈuːmpə ˈluːmpə/ · noun
Meaning
- A dwarf, little person, short person.
- Any of the fictional pygmies who manufacture candy in Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
- A person appearing orange from fake tanning, resembling the appearance of Oompa Loompas in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
Etymology / origin
Coined by British author Roald Dahl. Apparently a fanciful formation in line with whimsical English words like fuzzy-wuzzy, Humpty Dumpty, etc. Perhaps reminiscent of "exotic" ethnonyms to Westerners; Roald Dahl spent time in Tanganyika, East Africa. Also compare oom-pah (genre of German folk music); the Oompa Loompas dance to quirky, rhythmic songs.
Sources
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