A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

Recent entries:
•“They print more money causing inflation so you have to invest in assets…” (4/28)
•“A man without a government is like a fish without a bicycle” (4/28)
•“I was sitting at a bar last night and this Asian-looking fellow sits down next to me and takes a sip of beer…” (4/28)
•“Government is a disease masquerading as its own cure” (4/28)
•“Why are we locking up the items but not the thieves?” (4/28)
More new entries...

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The Big Apple. An etymological dictionary (over 36,000 entries) investigating the origins of American words, names, quotations and phrases, specializing in modern slang, neologisms, nicknames, acronyms, slogans, mottoes, proverbs, adages, idioms. aphorisms, blessings, toasts, mondegreens, riddles, puns, jokes and memes. There are regional dictionaries of New York City, Florida, Oregon and Texas. Established 2004. A website by Barry Popik (etymologist "King of Dad Jokes and Oneliners").

2020 EXTRA: 1400+ Coronavirus (COVID-19) quotes, jokes, riddles, puns, pickup lines, memes, portmanteaus, acronyms, anagrams and terms.

Above, the header from the 1924 newspaper column of John J. Fitz Gerald. Click to see a portion of the column which includes his use of "Big Apple." Part of a 1926 column is also available.

Above, a cartoon representing the idea of the "big apple" from October 11, 1926. Click to see the full version.

SUMMARY: "Why is New York called the Big Apple?"