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Definition of goofus

goofus

/ˈɡuː.fəs/
goo · fus
Plural:goofuses
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goofus Lexical Profile

goofus Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A foolish, silly, or inept person.

Example

"He felt like a complete goofus after locking his keys inside the running car."

2

American A small, saxophone-shaped free-reed wind instrument fitted with accordion-like keys, briefly popular in 1920s jazz novelty music.

Example

"The vintage jazz recording featured a quirky solo played on a goofus."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for goofus

• Nearby Words

goofball
goofily
goofiness
goofus
goofy
google
googleable

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in early 20th-century American slang by adding the playful pseudo-Latin suffix '-us' to 'goof' (fool); popularized culturally by the long-running comic strip 'Goofus and Gallant' in Highlights for Children magazine.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Goofus. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/goofus
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