Goof Probably Came From an Old Word for a Fool
A goof is a mistake, or a silly person. The word is American and entered general use in the 1900s.
A goof is a careless mistake, or a foolish and harmless person. It appears in American English around 1916, probably from the older English dialect word *goff*, a fool, which came from French *goffe*, awkward or clumsy. The tone is mild throughout its history — a goof is never malicious. *Goofy* followed in the 1920s and was given to a Disney character in 1932, which fixed the word's cheerful, slightly clumsy sense permanently.
- A mistake. *A silly goof.*
- A foolish person. *He is a goof.*
- To blunder. *Goofed it up.*
- Goofy — silly. *Goofy.*
- American — from 1916. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | goof | A goof. |
| Plural | goofs | Goofs. |
| Verb | goof | Goofed. |
| Adjective | goofy | Goofy. |
| French | goffe | Awkward. |
- That was a complete goof.Mistake.
- He goofed around all afternoon.Verb.
- Goofy dates from the 1920s.History.
Mild American words for a mistake
- Goof — careless and harmless
- Flub — a bungled attempt
- Boo-boo — childish, and also a small injury
- Slip-up — a lapse of attention
- Blooper — especially a recorded mistake
American English from about 1916, probably from dialect *goff*, a fool, from French *goffe*, awkward.
Where does goof come from?
American English of about 1916, most likely from the dialect word goff meaning a fool, which came from French goffe, awkward.
Is goofy named after the cartoon?
The other way round. Goofy was already slang in the 1920s, and the Disney character took the existing word in 1932.