ballageur, n.
Pronunciation: b- ah - l - ah - zh - ur - r
Forms: Also in anglicized form ˈballager.
Etymology: Hypothesized conflation of French unattested form *emballageur < French emballage packing, tying + -eur suffix with Russian балаган (farce, tomfoolery).
†1. A person who packages or ties; a person employed to tie something up. Obs.
2.
a. A person who addresses packages to someone other than the original recipient, esp. with an intent to to cause joy and hilarity from the expected confusion; one who takes pleasure in engaging in such activities.
1921 N. VON WARMEN Casebook III. x. n5 It has been suggested that ballageurs possess psychological abnormalities..causing them to court and cultivate the favor of a broad audience.b. fig. A person who contrives to recast mundane or boring tasks as exciting, diverting, or amusing.
1845 E. POTTE Prin. Malkory II. v. 16 Kindly delate this insipid matter to an unsober ballageur..for fit transfiguration.
1990 R. MASON Child. Characters 91 Mary Poppins remains the consummate ballageur in Brittanian children's literature.
3. A object, esp. an item of clothing, which provides structural support while simultaneously conveying an air of silliness or informality.
2015 A. CELLEDHI Space. Cupcake 925 A lacy ballager bulging from my perky boobs and receiving unwanted oeillades.
