booby

1
[ boo-bee ]
/ ˈbu bi /

noun, plural boo·bies.

a stupid person; dunce.
a gannet of the genus Sula, having a bright bill, bright feet, or both: some are endangered.

Origin of booby

1
1590–1600; earlier pooby, apparently blend of poop to befool (now obsolete) and baby; (def 2) perhaps by association with Spanish bobo < Latin balbus stuttering

OTHER WORDS FROM booby

boo·by·ish, adjective

Definition for booby (2 of 2)

booby 2
[ boo-bee ]
/ ˈbu bi /

noun, plural boob·ies. Slang: Sometimes Vulgar.

a female breast.

Origin of booby

2
1930–35, Americanism; probably variant of earlier bubby

Example sentences from the Web for booby

British Dictionary definitions for booby

booby
/ (ˈbuːbɪ) /

noun plural -bies

an ignorant or foolish person
British the losing player in a game
any of several tropical marine birds of the genus Sula : family Sulidae, order Pelecaniformes (pelicans, cormorants, etc). They have a straight stout bill and the plumage is white with darker markings Compare gannet

Word Origin for booby

C17: from Spanish bobo, from Latin balbus stammering