floozy
UK[ˈfluːzi]US[ˈfluːzi]
n
a woman who has many casual sexual partners or who dresses and behaves in a sexually provocative way.
Etymology
the word "floozy" emerged in early 20th-century american slang, with its first recorded use around 1911. its precise etymological path is obscure, but it is generally considered a playful, perhaps euphemistic, alteration of an existing word. one strong candidate is "flossy," which in late 19th-century slang described something stylish or showy, potentially applying to a flashily dressed woman. another theory suggests a link to the dialectal word "floozie," meaning a woman of loose morals. the term's formation reflects a common pattern in slang where slightly altered, phonetically catchy words are coined to label social types, in this case carrying connotations of cheap glamour and promiscuity.
Analysis
this word is considered a simplex form. its exact origin is uncertain, but it is likely a 20th-century american english slang formation, possibly a variant or alteration of an earlier term like "flossy" (meaning showy or fancy) or influenced by words like "floozie."
Examples
the character in the novel was portrayed as a good-hearted floozy who frequented the jazz clubs.
the old detective films often featured a cynical private eye and a mysterious floozy with a secret.
he warned his brother about getting involved with a floozy from the downtown bars.