gooney bird

or goon·y bird

[ goo-nee ]
/ ˈgu ni /

noun

any of several albatrosses, especially the black-footed albatross and the Laysan albatross, occurring on islands in the Pacific Ocean, often near naval bases.
Slang. a foolish or awkward person or thing; goon.
Also called gooney, goony.

Origin of gooney bird

First recorded in 1940–45; see origin at goon

Words nearby gooney bird

goon, goon bag, goon squad, goonda, gooney, gooney bird, goony, goop, goopy, goorie, goosander

British Dictionary definitions for gooney bird

gooney bird
/ (ˈɡuːnɪ) /

noun

an informal name for the albatross, esp the black-footed albatross (Diomedea nigripes)

Word Origin for gooney bird

C19 gony (originally sailors' slang), probably from dialect gooney fool, of obscure origin; compare goon