Can anyone tell me the etymology of the English word "galoot"? The several dictionaries I've consulted, on and off-line, all say "etymology unknown." I had rather thought it to derive from one of the Scandinavian languages as it is a word most often heard around Seattle in the mouths of the Swedish and Norwegian fishermen who live in the vicinity of Ballard. It is a wonderful word, tasting a bit like what it means, and it has to have come from somewhere!