BOOBY
What does "BOOBY" mean?
A large tropical seabird of the gannet family, known for its clumsy gait on land.
Meanings
- A diving seabird of the genus Sula, found in tropical oceans, several species having brightly coloured feet. The blue-footed booby lifts each bright foot in turn during its mating dance.
- A foolish or stupid person; a dunce. Don't be a booby - read the instructions first. informal
Did you know?
- A blue-footed booby's feet really are a health report: the colour comes from carotenoid pigments in its fish diet, and a well-fed bird flashes brighter blue feet to attract a mate.
Word origin
From Spanish 'bobo' meaning 'stupid' or 'clown', from Latin 'balbus' ('stammering'); sailors named the bird for its apparent foolishness in letting itself be caught.
Remember it
BOOBY ends in BY a 'Y' shape - picture the bird's webbed feet splayed like a Y.
A little poem
It cannot walk without a stumble,
yet over open sea it dives-
the clown of land, the king of waves.
tercet
Wordplay
- Why did the booby fail school but still get the girl? Bad on land, brilliant on his feet.
What it teaches
Clumsy on one stage can mean masterful on another - judge a creature where it lives.
Quick facts
What does BOOBY mean?
A large tropical seabird of the gannet family, known for its clumsy gait on land.
Is BOOBY a valid word?
Yes — BOOBY is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is BOOBY?
BOOBY has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does BOOBY come from?
From Spanish 'bobo' meaning 'stupid' or 'clown', from Latin 'balbus' ('stammering'); sailors named the bird for its apparent foolishness in letting itself be caught.
What can BOOBY teach us?
Clumsy on one stage can mean masterful on another - judge a creature where it lives.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.