noun
jalopy
juh-LO-pee
noun
1
An old, run-down car, especially one that still somehow runs.
"They drove cross-country in a rusty old jalopy."
How to Use Jalopy
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA beat-up, old car.
When to use it
Informal and slightly affectionate rather than purely insulting.
Common pairings
a rusty jalopy
an old jalopy
Word Forms
jalopies plural
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They drove cross-country in a rusty old _____.
Etymology
Origin uncertain — one theory links it to Jalapa, Mexico, where worn-out American cars were reportedly sent for scrap starting in the 1920s.