hunky hand grenade en · NOUN
Etymology
hunky + hand grenade; originating from the Appalachian, Polish, Slovak, and Carpatho-Rusyn immigrant communities in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Meanings
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(Pennsylvania, Western, colloquial, qualifier:chiefly Pittsburgh area; nickname; chiefly Pittsburgh area; nickname) A stuffed cabbage roll (holubtsi or gołąbki).
While it has been “reclaimed” by many Rusyns the same way I have noticed “Indian” has been reclaimed by my Native American community, for example a stuffed cabbage dish called “kapusta” in Rusyn may be referred to as a “Hunky hand grenade” just as taco fillings in Native American frybread are called an “Indian taco”.
2026 May 11, Isabel Fernando, Carpatho-Rusyns from the Carpathians to The Appalachians. Navigating Language Barriered Perspectives of Identity and Online Heritage Revival of an Ethnic Minority.:In his opening while battling with Johnny, Hornak reached outside the ring for a foreign object which turned out to be a real halupki. That's right, a pig in the Blanket, the Hunky hand grenade. Hornak was catching a quick snack.
1998 May 16, Monessen Valley Independent Staff, Monessen Valley Independent in Monessen, Pennsylvania, page 20:Near-synonyms: pig in a blanket, halupki, stuffed cabbage
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| hunky hand grenades | Number=Plur | lexicographic |