grabowski

See also: Grabowski

English

Etymology

From Grabowski, which is borrowed from Polish Grabowski. The slang word grabowski was popularized by Mike Ditka calling the Chicago Bears "Grabowskis", combined with Chicago's large working-class Polish population.[1][2][3]

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Chicago):(file)

Noun

grabowski (plural grabowskis)

  1. (slang, Chicago, often complimentary) A determined and hardworking person.
    • 2015 September 2, “If Every State Had Its Own Word, Illinois' Would Be... Grabowski?”, in CBS News‎[4]:
      If Ditka called you a grabowski, it was a high compliment. It meant you were a good guy, you worked hard and you were loyal.
    • 2019 September 4, Jon Greenberg, “Chicago is still full of Grabowskis, but only one roots for the Bears and the Packers”, in The New York Times‎[5]:
      "Grabowski" is still a word used to describe the idea of the white, ethnic, lunch-pail worker, a relic of Chicago's past […]
    • 2015 September 2, Matthew J.X. Malady, “The United Slang of America”, in Slate‎[6]:
      A true grabowski has no time for your linguistic squabbles.

References

  1. ^ “If Every State Had Its Own Word, Illinois' Would Be... Grabowski?”, in CBS News‎[1], 2 September 2015
  2. ^ Jon Greenberg (4 September 2019), “Chicago is still full of Grabowskis, but only one roots for the Bears and the Packers”, in The New York Times‎[2]
  3. ^ Jeffy Mai, editor (13 March 2024), “26 slang words that every Chicagoan should know”, in TimeOut‎[3]

Polish

Etymology

From Grabów +‎ -ski.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡraˈbɔf.ski/
  • Rhymes: -ɔfski
  • Syllabification: gra‧bow‧ski
  • Homophone: Grabowski

Adjective

grabowski (not comparable, no derived adverb)

  1. (relational) Grabów (of, from or pertaining to Grabów)

Declension

Declension of grabowski (velar)
singular plural
masculine animate masculine inanimate feminine neuter virile (= masculine personal) non-virile
nominative/vocative grabowski grabowska grabowskie grabowscy grabowskie
genitive grabowskiego grabowskiej grabowskiego grabowskich
dative grabowskiemu, grabowsku1 grabowskiej grabowskiemu, grabowsku1 grabowskim
accusative grabowskiego grabowski grabowską grabowskie grabowskich grabowskie
instrumental grabowskim grabowską grabowskim grabowskimi
locative grabowskim grabowskiej grabowskim grabowskich

1Archaic.

noun
  • Grabów

Further reading

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