General
milwaukee goiter
What does milwaukee goiter mean?
Old American slang for a big distended beer belly, attributed to Milwaukee — the brewery capital of the US. A goiter is a swelling of the thyroid in the neck; the joke transplants it to the gut and blames it on chronic lager. Dates back to at least the 1930s, picked up by clinicians as a polite-sounding way to flag the same thing on rounds. German goiter is the variant when the patient looks more Munich than Midwest.
"Anaesthetist took one look at the Milwaukee goiter and added an extra half hour to the slot."
Origin
American regional slang from at least the 1930s, riffing on Milwaukee's brewing industry.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Milwaukee goiter?
Milwaukee goiter is a joking term for a beer belly, as if the person grew a thyroid problem out of their waistband.
How do you use Milwaukee goiter in a sentence?
"All those pints have given him a proper Milwaukee goiter."
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
