Lollapalooza: My New Favorite Word

I found my new favorite word while reading about Warren Buffett on the financial website GoBakingRates.com. The author of this article was Ashley Redmond. She quoted Charlie Munger’s speech at the 50th annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders. In it, Munger said, “Buffett’s decision to limit his activities to a few kinds and to maximize his attention to them, and to keep doing so for 50 years, was a lollapalooza.”

Not familiar with the word lollapalooza, I just had to look it up. The first known use of the word lollapalooza was in 1896. According to The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, lollapalooza means “one that is extraordinarily impressive” and “an outstanding example.” Merriam-Webster reveals that the word lollapalooza has also been used as a gambling term meaning “a made-up hand used to trick an inexperienced player.”

Lollapalooza is also the name of a four-day music festival held annually at Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois. There are similar music festivals around the globe also named Lollapalooza.

I discovered this word on Independence Day—a day for celebration. I hope that your next celebration is a real lollapalooza!