Square (slang)

Square is slang for a person who is conventional and old-fashioned, similar to a fuddy-duddy.[1][2][3] This sense of the word "square" originated with the American jazz community in the 1940s in reference to people out of touch with musical trends.[1] Older senses of the term square, referring positively to someone or something honest and upstanding, date back to the 16th century.[3][4]

  1. ^ a b "square, adj., d.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  2. ^ "square, n., 16 a.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
  3. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. "square". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
  4. ^ "square, adj., c.". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)