Kapowza

Part of speech: interjection, noun

Definitions

1. A noisy, chaotic disturbance or uproar, the kind of racket that draws everyone's attention at once
2. A sudden burst of loud noise and confusion, such as a boisterous brawl or rowdy outbreak of disorder
3. Loud, disorderly clamour or fuss, a noisy commotion that breaks out unexpectedly in a crowd

Etymology: The origin of this slang term is uncertain. Its first element, "kapow," is an imitative sound for a sharp blow or explosion, and it spread through American comic books in the 1940s and 1950s, then became familiar to a wider audience through the 1960s Batman television series, where sound effects were printed across the screen. The ending is harder to pin down. It may have been shaped by the "-za" of playful coinages such as "bonanza" or "pizzazz," but no documented source confirms this. What is clear is that the term belongs to informal American English and was used for the din or commotion that follows a loud, dramatic event.