goof

Meanings

Noun

• A mistake or error.
• A foolish and/or silly person; a goofball.
• A child molester.

Verb

• To make a mistake.
• To engage in mischief.

Related

Similar words

• blooper, boo-boo, error, faux pas, fluff, gaffe, lapse, mistake, slip, stumble, thinko

Origin

• Perhaps from dialectal English goff, from earlier goffe, in which case further etymology is uncertain.
• Perhaps from Middle English goffen ("to speak in a frivolous manner"), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf, ġegaf, gaffetung, golfettung. Compare English dialectal gauffin, Scots gaff, gawf, Scots gaffaw.
• Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe ("awkward; stupid"). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo.