booby

1 of 2

noun (1)

boo·​by ˈbü-bē How to pronounce booby (audio)
plural boobies
Synonyms of boobynext
1
: an awkward foolish person : dope
2
: any of several tropical seabirds (genus Sula) of the gannet family

booby

2 of 2

noun (2)

boo·​by ˈbü-bē How to pronounce booby (audio) ˈbu̇- How to pronounce booby (audio)
plural boobies
sometimes vulgar
: breast

Synonyms

Noun (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of booby in a Sentence

Noun (1) what kind of booby goes out into the snow barefoot?

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

modification of Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus stammering, probably of imitative origin

Noun (2)

alteration of bubby

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of booby was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near booby

boob tube

booby

boobyalla

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Booby.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/booby. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

booby

noun
boo·​by
ˈbü-bē
plural boobies
1
: a foolish person
2
: any of several tropical seabirds related to the gannets

More from Merriam-Webster on booby

Nglish: Translation of booby for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about booby

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