gossoon
An Irish English term for a young boy, especially one employed as a servant or general helper.
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#1·Apr 28, 2026
An Irish English term for a young boy, especially one employed as a servant or general helper. The word has a nostalgic, rural Irish flavour and appears frequently in 19th and early 20th-century Irish literature. It is warm in register, often evoking the hardworking boys of agrarian Ireland.
He'd been a gossoon on the estate since he was ten, fetching turf and running errands.
Origin: From Irish Gaelic 'garsun', itself from French 'garcon' (boy), reflecting historical French influence on Irish English. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(Ireland) A young boy, a servant boy; a lackey.
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Other words near "gossoon" (G)
gospel birdGospel grinderGospel shopGossageGossiegossipfestgostangotawaygotchGotcha Daygotch-guttedgotchies
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