goober

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformalhumorous

   A silly, clumsy or foolish person, usually said in a teasing rather than cruel way.

   Grammar: Takes an article: a goober.

   Patterns

   • a big goober
   • act like a goober

   My brother is such a goober; he wore his shirt inside out all day.

   Don't be a goober and walk into the glass door again.

   She called her friend a goober, and they both laughed.

2. 2nouncountableregionalAmerican

   A peanut, especially in the southern United States.

   Grammar: Often plural, goobers, and common in set phrases such as goober peas.

   Patterns

   • boiled goobers

   Grandpa sold boiled goobers by the roadside.

   We snacked on roasted goobers at the baseball game.

   The farmer planted a whole field of goobers this spring.

Word forms

Common combinations

big goober

He grinned like a big goober when he saw the cake.

total goober

I felt like a total goober after tripping on stage.

goober peas

The old song about goober peas is a southern favorite.

boiled goobers

Boiled goobers are a salty summer treat.

lovable goober

Our dog is a lovable goober who chases his own tail.

Synonyms and how they differ

goofball

Goofball is a very close informal word for a silly person, and it is more widely used across the United States than goober.

dork

Dork stresses social awkwardness, and goober feels warmer and more playful.

dummy

Dummy suggests lack of intelligence and can sound harsher than the gentle teasing of goober.

peanut

Peanut is the standard word for the nut, and goober is a regional, informal name for it.

Word family

goober pea noun

a southern name for a peanut

goober-pea noun

another spelling of the southern name for a peanut

Commonly confused: goober or goofy?

Practice

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