blue flu

noun

: a sick-out staged by police officers

Word History

Etymology

from the color of a police uniform

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue flu was in 1967

Rhymes for blue flu

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Browse Nearby Words

blue flower
blue flu
blue-footed booby
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Cite this Entry

“Blue flu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20flu. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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Legal Definition

blue flu

noun
: an organized absence from work by police officers on the pretext of sickness that is staged for the purpose of protest
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