Etymology
The term was given to the military training cartoon character, Private Snafu, by Frank Capra in 1942. The stories were written by Theodor Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss), and Snafu's voice was done by Mel Blanc. It is not clear whether the term existed before that.
Pronunciation
- AHD : snä'foo͞
- IPA : /ˈsnɑːfuː/
- SAMPA : /"snAfu:/
Acronym
SNAFU
- (Military slang): Situation normal, all fucked up! or Situation normal. All fouled up. (1943)
Related Terms
- fubar
Usage note
Today when people use, it they usually mean SAFU ... when a major glitch or breakdown occurs
