stooge (n.)
1913, "stage assistant, actor who assists a comedian," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps an alteration of student (with the mispronunciation STOO-jent) in sense of "apprentice."
The meaning "lackey, person used for another's purpose" is recorded by 1937. The Three Stooges film slapstick act debuted on screen in 1930, originally as "Ted Healy and His Stooges."
Entries linking to stooge
late 14c., studient, "studious person, one who pursues knowledge," from Old French estudiant "student, scholar, one who is studying" (Modern French étudiant), noun use of present participle of estudiier, from Medieval Latin studiare "to study," from Latin studium (see study (v.)).
Forms without an -i- or -y- in the middle appear by early 15c. In modern use (from c. 1900) it tends to mean "scholar enrolled in an institute of primary or secondary learning." An Old English word for it was leorningcild "student, disciple," in modern form learning-child.
For "students collectively," studentry has been tried (1830). Student-teacher (n.), in reference to a teacher in training working in a classroom under the supervision of a head teacher, is from 1851, American English (pupil-teacher in the same sense is by 1838).
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updated on August 20, 2023
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