© 2025 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our daily newsletter, delivered first thing weekdays, keeps you connected to your community with news, culture, national NPR headlines, and more.

Mickey Mouse Conquers the World of Language

Mickey Mouse is a famous cartoon character, perhaps the most famous. But there is also the phrase "mickey mouse," which may be traced back to the slang of World War II. But it's a bit of slang that falls into a gray area rarely visited by lexicographers.

Copyright 2006 NPR

John Ciardi
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.