goit

Meaning

Noun

• A small artificial channel carrying water. Usually used with respect to channels built to feed mills.
• A fool.

Origin

• From Middle English gote ("channel, stream"), from Old English *gotu ("channel, gutter, drain"), from Proto-Germanic *gutō ("gutter, drain"), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰew- ("to pour"). Cognate with Scots gote, goit, goate, Dutch goot ("gutter"), Middle Low German gote ("ditch"). More at gote.
• Popularised by the television series Red Dwarf. Possibly a shortening of goitre (i.e. a pain in the neck), or from git.