What is the origin of the phrase 'party pooper'?

Answer 1

Oxford English Dictionary:
"party pooper, a person who spoils the social enjoyment of others, typically by being gloomy; a killjoy. party-pooping n. and a., (a) n., the practice or an instance of spoiling the social enjoyment of others.; (b) adj., that spoils the plans or social enjoyment of others."

Poop has several meanings, of which two could be relevant. Since about 1900, poop has meant (in child-speak) either feces, or, as a verb, to defecate. Since the 1930s, as "pooped" (or often, pooped out) it has meant, as a past participle/adjective, tired out, exhausted, worn out. To poop out is to become too exhausted to continue, or to give up, usually owing to exhaustion, but sometimes just to drop out or fail to continue for unspecified reasons..


The 3rd edition of the Shorter OED, (1944, with regular corrections to 1970) makes no reference to "party-pooper", which suggests that the origin is modern. The 2005 7th edition of Collins English Dictionary declares "party-pooper" to be "c20 originally US". Merriam-Websters Online Dictionary dates the term to 1954.