What is Medegones?
1.
An Italian term meaning outsiders, them, or just non-Italians in general. Not really a derogatory word it really just meant non-Italians mostly without a negative connotation. Used mostly 1940s and 1950s for the Irish, German, Polish, and Jewish.
For me, I am sure that for most second generation Italian-American children who grew up in the '40s and '50s, there was a definite distinction drawn between US and THEM. We were ITALIANS! Everybody else -- the Irish, German, Polish, Jewish - they were the "Medegones (MED-E-GONES)."
The Joy of Growing Up Italian
by Tony Scire
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