the.com/pompom
a fluffy ball of pure enthusiasm, weaponized by cheerleaders and toddler hats alike
means A small fluffy ball of yarn, fabric, or feathers used as a decorative tuft on hats, shoes, or twirled by cheerleaders.
from From French 'pompon,' a soft tuft of ribbon or wool, likely an imitative or affectionate diminutive — the kind of plump, bouncy sound a word makes when it means something round and fluffy. French soldiers and sailors wore pompons atop their caps long before cheerleaders ever shook one; the doubled English spelling 'pompom' is a later, friendlier variant. (Not to be confused with the WWI 'pom-pom' gun, named for the rapid 'pom-pom' sound it fired — a coincidence of onomatopoeia, not a relative.)
- naval origin
- French sailors wore them to avoid bonking low ship ceilings
- gun nickname
- WWII anti-aircraft guns were called pom-poms
- flower too
- Pompom dahlias and chrysanthemums share the puffball name
- team spirit
- Modern cheer poms first popped up in 1930s America
dallas cowboys cheerleaders — professional nfl cheerleaders performing since 1972, known for iconic white leather uniforms and pom-poms
laker girls — nba cheerleading squad debuted 1960, famous for elaborate pom-pom routines at staples center
mitsubishi pompom — japanese car model produced 1998-2003, compact kei car with pom-pom styling features