Alphonse

/ælˈfoʊns/ noun

Definition

A man's name (often spelled Alfonso or Alphonso), with Spanish/German roots; also slang for flattery or smooth talk.

Etymology

From Germanic 'Adalfuns' (adal- 'noble' + funs 'ready'). The slang meaning 'smooth talker' comes from 1920s-1930s American slang, possibly from Italian roots.

Kelly Says

The slang term 'Alphonse' as a smooth talker or flatterer was used in early 20th-century crime novels—it had such specific meaning that it appeared in dictionaries as slang! Now it's mostly forgotten except in historical literature.

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