• Goon

    Pronunciation

    • Rhymes: -uːn

    Origin 1

    Shortened from gooney, from obsolete gony ("simpleton", circa 1580), of unknown origin. Gony was applied by sailors to the albatross and similar big, clumsy birds (circa 1839). Goon first carried the meaning "stupid person" (circa 1921).

    • The meaning of "hired thug" (circa 1938) is largely influenced by the comic strip character Alice the Goon from the series.
    • The "fool" sense was reinforced by the popular radio program, The Goon Show, starring and .

    Full definition of goon

    Noun

    goon

    (plural goons)
    1. A thug; a usually muscular henchman with little intelligence (also known as a 'hired goon').
    2. A fool; someone considered silly, stupid, awkward, or outlandish.
      • 1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 5, Mr. Campion appeared suitably impressed and she warmed to him. He was very easy to talk to with those long clown lines in his pale face, a natural goon, born rather too early she suspected.
    3. (ice hockey, pejorative)  An enforcer or fighter.

    Derived terms

    Origin 2

    Diminutive slang for flagon.

    Noun

    goon

    (uncountable)
    1. (Australia, countable, informal) A wine flagon or cask.
    2. (Australia, uncountable, informal) Cheap or inferior cask wine.

    Synonyms

    Anagrams

    © Wiktionary
    • © 2013 - 2023 All Rights Reserved